


You're the Best Part

by wermadashatters18



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF
Genre: Actor Chris Evans, Actor Tom Hiddleston, Angst, Bearded Chris Evans, Best Friends, Board Games, Boston, Broadway References, Celebrity Crush, Celebrity Life, Comic-Con, Cosplay, Dating, Developing Relationship, Dogs, Drama, Drinking, Drinking Games, Eventual Smut, F/M, Female Friendship, Filming, Fluff, Friendship, Librarians, Massachusetts, Medical Procedures, Multi, Multiple Orgasms, Multiple Partners, New York, New York City, New York Comic-Con, Oral Sex, Original Female Character Feels, POV Original Female Character, Parties, Polyamory, Recreational Drug Use, Romance, Sex, Smut, Theatre, Threesome - F/M/M, Throuple, Tom Hiddleston Feels, chris evans feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:00:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 52
Words: 163,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23058892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wermadashatters18/pseuds/wermadashatters18
Summary: Evie goes to Comic Con not expecting anything to happen except for a few days to enjoy life and have some fun. Little does she know, she's about to meet a stranger who will change her life forever.(I SUCK at summaries! I'm SO sorry! Hopefully this gets easier as I get back in to the groove of writing... It's been a really long time since I wrote and posted something on any sites, so please bear with me!)Disclaimer: Obviously, Evie is my made up character. Any real life characters I am writing into this story, I obviously don't know at all. This is just a work of fiction and does not depict how these people are in real life in any way.
Relationships: Chris Evans (Actor)/Original Female Character(s), Chris Evans/Tom Hiddleston/Original Female Character(s), Tom Hiddleston/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 597
Kudos: 217





	1. Chapter 1: The first meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! I really hope you like what I've written, and I would love some input! Thank you!

I was Wonder Woman today and I was currently trying to get away from a group of Hobbits.

Okay, like not literally, but I'm at comic con so just roll with me here...

My name is Evelyn (Evie or Eve for short), and I like to think of myself as a super nerd. I go to several comic cons each year, and I usually dress up in cosplay, usually a different character for each day of the con. Sometimes if I'm not feeling like putting that much work into several different cosplay outfits, I'll just go with a nerd theme for the day and deck myself out in all kinds of merch.

But today, I had decided to dress as Wonder Woman. It was the first day of New York Comic Con, Thursday October 3rd. I had thankfully scored tickets for all 4 days this year, but for my first 2 days I was going solo.

My best friend in the universe, Maxine (Max for short), was coming with me for the last 2 days, but couldn't come to the first 2 because of work. Someone else already had put in for vacation this week, and the library where she worked couldn't have another librarian be on vacation the same time.

Max and I lived together in a small apartment above my grandmother's house on Long Island, New York. We were both librarians and we worked in the same area. Max worked for a college library, and I worked for a big public library. We had enough staff that I didn't have to worry about taking off when I wanted. We also had great benefits which included a good chunk of vacation time, which is why I went to as many cons as I could. We mostly stuck with the main one in New York as well as the smaller one on Long Island, Heroes and Villains Fan Fest in New Jersey, Wizard Con in Philadelphia, and Boston Comic Con in Boston. We tried to go to those ones every single year, but sometimes we would change it up and take a road trip to one that was further away. Our dream was to go to San Diego Comic Con, but that was next to impossible since it was so far, way too expensive, and way too hard to get tickets to.

Back to my predicament of getting away from the Hobbits...

I like to think of myself as pretty, but I know I'm nowhere near as gorgeous as the real Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why so many guys were asking me for pictures.

I'm about 5'6, and have a curvier build, and it probably wouldn't have been a bad idea for me to drop about 40 or 50 pounds, but...food is too good. I have black hair that goes down past my shoudlers and brown eyes and I wear glasses. Since I hate wearing contacts, I decided to dress in the outfit where Wonder Woman has to blend in with the rest of London and wears a long skirt, a jacket with a belted waist, a hat, and my glasses. It was easy and cheap to put together, and I paired it with my Wonder Woman shield backpack and a foam replica of her sword. I also wore black combat boots to complete the look, though I was sure for the movie she wore something else. But sue me...these shoes were relatively comfortable to spend nearly 14+ hours in, unlike boots with heels. My hair was also done up in a bun to match how she had worn it for that scene of the movie.

Can you tell I'm a big fan?

Apparently, so were a lot of people. I didn't mind kids or really anyone else wanting pictures with me, but it was the creepy guys that really drove me nuts. The ones that are in groups and each one has to take a picture posing with you in some weird way, the ones that want your phone number or your social media pages to tag you in for the picture. The ones who would somehow find you several times throughout the day or days and ask if you wanted to get food with them or what hotel you were going to be staying at....and that's where I'm at right now.

I smiled politely at the group of guys, all who were weirdly shorter than me, which I guess fit into the Hobbit theme. There were 4 of them, and I could tell they were a group of very close friends, but this was the 5th time today they had found me and it was barely even 2 pm yet. Was there a polite way to tell these dudes to fuck off? If Max had been with me, I would not have had this problem. She always said I was too nice.

I was about to lie to these guys and say I had a panel to get in line for when I noticed them staring up past my head with what looked like complete and total awe on their faces. It was then that I felt a presence close behind me, and I turned and looked up and up some more into the face of Captain America.

No, not Captain America as in Chris Evans, but someone dressed in Captain America cosplay. A REALLY good Captain America cosplay actually. His suit looked just like the one from the first Avengers movie, and my god did this man fill every inch of that suit well. He had the cowl/helmet on his head, but what I could see of his face looked flawless. I couldn't be 100% positive unless he took it off, but I could tell this man was absolutely gorgeous, his bright blue eyes shining with amusement.

The Hobbits nearly pushed me over trying to get to Cap, immediately asking him for pictures. I steadied myself and brushed off the front of my outfit, rolling my eyes. Of course the Hobbits nearly pushed me over for a chance at Captain America. Not that I can blame them, nor can I complain since they were now leaving me alone. I was about to escape from the group completely, but one of the 4 Hobbits asked me to take a picture of all 4 of them with Cap, and I did. Once the picture was taken, the Hobbits once again forgot I was there and started asking Cap all these questions about his costume.

They were far enough away that I couldn't really hear the conversation. Comic Con was a very loud place, but I was surprised when I saw them all look back toward me before the Hobbits once again dispersed among the crowds. Captain America was suddenly coming toward me, and I swear to God I think I almost swallowed my tongue whole.

"Hi," I somehow squeaked out. I nervously pushed my glasses back up my nose and fidgeted with the foam sword for a second to regroup and drew in a deep breath. "How did you get rid of the Hobbits?" I asked, trying for what I hoped was a slightly flirty smile, but not overly flirty.

He grinned, showing off a set of perfect white teeth and a set of dimples to die for. I felt like my body was going to liquify and melt right to the floor in a fucking puddle. "I told them I saw Gollum with the Ring over by the gaming section of the merch floor and that I wanted to get a picture with the prettiest Wonder Woman in the convention center."

I felt my face blush as red as the color on his fake shield, but I felt confidence radiate out of me when I deadpanned, "Either you're blind or there's a much much prettier Wonder Woman standing behind me." I even turned and looked around the hoards of people behind me, and I did find someone else dressed as Wonder Woman in her full battle regalia, but it was a dude...or what I thought may be a dude since there was a beard and all. I turned back to Cap and nodded in the direction of the other Wonder Woman. "That outfit looks much better on him than it ever would me. Don't let me stop you from getting your picture."

Cap laughed, a loud abrupt sound that made a few people around us look our way. "You're funny," was all he had the chance to say before a few more people wanted pictures with us. We took some pictures and a crowd started to accidentally form around us, everyone praising our costumes when a photographer from some social media site asked us if she could take a picture of just us together.

I looked at Cap who shrugged, and I smiled at the young girl and said, "Sure, why not. As long as you send it to me and tag my cosplay instagram." She excitedly agreed. First, she just took a few pictures of us side by side, but then Cap wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I wrapped my arm around his waist and leaned my head on his shoulder. She took one of us pretending to dance and one of us when he dipped me and made me laugh. We even took some of us pretending to fight.

We had a huge crowd around us now, and I was starting to feel a little embarrassed when the photographer finally wrapped up and got my information. Cap wouldn't give his information, which I thought a little odd, but some people don't want the world knowing who they are. Maybe it was his first time cosplaying. I had learned long ago that if you go to these things dressed up, you will eventually have people asking for all kinds of pictures, and you may as well have fun with it and make an instagram for it. I had fun with it. I had maybe about 10,000 followers, which is still crazy to me, but it does actually help me promote stuff for my job which they love. We've even had a group who brought in the TARDIS used at the Doctor Who Long Island convention. My job had begged me to promote the event and for the week we had it, I had dressed up as several different characters from the show for people to come take pictures with. We had more patrons come in that week than we had had come in for the whole month all together. It brought some great traffic in of tourists from all over, as well as a slew of new local people from the counties surrounding us that came and signed up for library cards. Ever since then, we have really beefed up showcases, displays, and even our collection of books to things that people of ALL fandoms can relate to. It's why I love my job so much.

Thankfully, once the photographer left, the crowd started to disperse. I looked at my watch and saw it was now a little past 3:00 PM, and I had to get to a line for a 4:30 pm autograph from Sebastian Stan, aka the Winter Soldier, from Avengers. The key was getting there early because they only allotted a certain amount of people.

"I have to go," I said to Cap. "Your best pal Bucky Barnes is doing autographs."

Cap did his best shocked look. "Bucky's alive?!" I rolled my eyes and poked him in the chest with the foam sword. He feigned a hurt expression and held his chest for a second before grinning at me. "Actually, I'm heading there too so I'll walk you and we can wait on line together."

We started heading toward the stairs that would lead down to the cafeteria. Most people flooded the escalators, but not very many people took the stairs. "Well, Cap," I said, emphasizing the word 'Cap'. "If we're going to be stuck standing on line together for the next lord knows how long, you could at least tell me your real name."

"Steve," was his immediate answer, and I laughed and whacked him with the sword again. He laughed too and blocked another hit from the sword. "Okay, okay. My name is Scott. What's yours?"

"Evie," I told him, grabbing the railing as we made our descent downward.

"That can't be your real name," he said, walking next to me down the steps. Since he was so tall, people automatically moved to get out of his way, like they were afraid he would smush them.

"Well, my full name is Evelyn, but I hate that. Everyone calls me Evie, or even Eve except for my mother. She is the only one I allow to call me Evelyn."

We made it to the bottom of the steps and he looked over at me and nodded. "Evie suits you. I like it."

I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him. "I'm so glad the Captain approves."

He laughed and grabbed my arm suddenly, pulling me out of the way of a particularly large group of...Pokemon. Their cosplay costumes were HUGE and they didn't care that they were knocking people nearly to the ground as they walked together to the cafeteria.

"Thanks," I muttered as we continued our walk to the autograph hall. We found Sebastian's line, which was already full of people, but not enough that I was worried I wouldn't get my autograph. We were still standing within the metal railings of the formed line which was good.

For the next hour and a half, we spent the time telling each other a little about ourselves. It was stupidly easy to talk to this man, so I was skeptical that I must have been clobbered over the head. Normally, I would be a fucking mess of clumsiness and jumbled words, but that wasn't happening. Maybe because this was just a weird comic con occurence that would never ever happen again, but whatever. I would just roll with it.

It wasn't like I would continue talking to this guy after today, and the odds of seeing him any of the other con days (if he was going any of the other days, that is) were slim to none. Which is why I told him more about myself than I would a normal stranger. I told him what I did, how old I was, where I lived (relax...not like my actual address or anything), all about my best friend Max and how we were huge nerds. He told me he was 38, which was only 8 years older than me. He wasn't married, he didn't have kids, he grew up in Massachusetts and mostly lived there with his family except when he was travelling for his business. He worked for a security firm that was nation wide, hence travelling a lot, but it also meant he could do a lot of cool shit like this. He had even been to San Diego Comic Con! I was totally jealous!

I was just thinking that it must be close to the time that Sebastian would be coming out when the screaming started. All of the fans, particularly the women, that were closer to the front started screaming and clapping like lunatics. Scott and I looked at each other and just rolled our eyes. The crowd surged forward, and Scott once again grabbed me and saved me from being pushed over. He seemed to keep doing that, which was fine by me except for the fact that I turned bright red whenever he touched me. He wasn't even touching my bare skin! And was it getting hot in here or was the jacket starting to get to me? I couldn't take the jacket off...that would ruin the outfit!

"People are like animals when the celebrities come out," Scott said, now keeping his hand firmly on my back so no one would shove me again.

I looked up at him, staring up at his chiseled jaw. There was something so...familiar about him. But I couldn't quite put my finger on what it could possibly be. His blue eyes met mine, and I swear I immediately started drowning. I had to look away, my hands fiddling with my foam sword as the line started crawling forward little by little. "Not everyone acts like animals. I try not to make a fool of myself. I can barely talk. I once told Jason Isaacs, Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, that he was one of my favorite villains. He stopped dead and looked at me and in his low villain-y voice went, 'You mean to tell me there are others?' I couldn't backtrack from that. He wanted me to tell him what other villains I loved, and I wouldn't tell him. It went downhill fast."

Scott laughed next to me, making me look at him again. When he laughed, I swear he lit up the entire room. "Who is your all time favorite villain?"

"Loki." Scott looked at me. "Look, Tom Hiddleston is a great actor AND he is hot as hell. But Loki just has such an interesting back story. And yes, he has a bad streak in him, but deep down he loved his brother to the very end. He redeemed himself. I can't wait to see the TV series that Disney comes up with."

Scott nodded as if that made perfect sense. "Marvel has done great with the movies they've done. I'm sure the shows will be just as good." We moved forward a little with the rest of the crowd. "So is Wonder Woman your favorite superhero?"

I grinned at him. "Of course! Gal really makes the character. I have the biggest girl crush on her ever." I looked up at his blue eyes and winked. "But...I also have a big soft spot for Captain America. I'm not a comic book nerd, and really have just followed the movies, but he is my favorite out of all of the Marvel characters, though I really love Thor, Loki, and Winter Soldier too. Wonder Woman is my favorite DC character along with Aquaman." 

He grinned back at me. "You just love Captain America because of Chris Evans."

I went to whack him with the sword again, but he blocked it easily and I stuck my tongue out at him. "I mean...do you want me to lie here? Chris Evans is gorgeous. But Captain America's story is really amazing. It's really a heart breaking story, and he can just never catch a break. The last movie...man that broke my freaking heart, but in the happiest way possible."

"What's your favorite movie that Cap is in?"

I thought about it a minute before answering. "Civil War. He was willing to give everything up for Bucky because he knew it was the right thing no matter what anyone else said." He nodded in agreement as we moved up some more in the line. "I also loved him in Infinity War because...wow that beard."

Scott choked and coughed out a loud laugh making me turn toward him to see him laughing full out, hands holding his gut as he bent forward.

"Why are you laughing at me?" I asked, pouting at him.

He wiped at his tearing eyes. "You're just so honest. It's surprising...and very refreshing. I'm guessing you have a thing for dudes with beards."

How was I being so cool and collected around him even though he was making me constantly blush? I felt my face get red yet again. "Well, I'm not normally like this around guys, and yeah I have a thing for beards."

He had finally stopped laughing and was looking at me in question. "What do you mean you aren't normally like this? You seem to hold your own just fine with Captain America, and a few Hobbits. Hell, I even saw you handle some Dothraki soldiers earlier."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "The Dothraki soldiers? I saw them hours before I saw you..." I was a little suspicious now. "Have you been following me around all day?"

Now it was his turn to blush. "Um...no, but I did notice you almost first thing this morning when I got in, but I lost you pretty quickly. I walked around for awhile and saw you with the Dothraki soldiers, and I tried to talk to you then but I got bombarded by about 20 kids wanting pictures and by the time I was done, you were gone. I wasn't following you...just trying to find you."

"Why?" I asked, and I knew I still sounded really suspicious. I watched him bite his full lip between his teeth, and he fiddled with his foam shield nervously.

"Because... I wanted to meet you and talk to you. You really are the prettiest Wonder Woman here."

I snorted and rolled my eyes at him before turning back toward the front. The line had moved enough now that we were only about 5 people away from the table and I could actually SEE Sebastian Stan. "Now I know you really are blind," I muttered, not meaning for him to hear me.

His hand grasped my arm and turned me toward him. "I'm not blind."

"You very clearly ARE."

He was about to argue further with me but I suddenly was at the point where it was my turn to pay while the person in front of me got their autograph. Thankful for the distraction, I pulled away from Scott and handed my money to the woman and picked out a picture of Sebastian as the Winter Soldier in Infinity War for him to autograph. She asked for my name and put it on a sticky note, making sure it was spelled right for Sebastian to see. Then it was suddenly my turn to meet him, and he actually smiled and held out his hand for me to shake.

"Hey, beautiful. Love your outfit. That's my favorite Wonder Woman look I think I've seen all day."

I was blushing bright red and wasn't sure what else to say besides, "Thank you. I really love you as Winter Soldier."

He grinned at me, and handed me my autograph. "Thanks. Enjoy the rest of comic con."

"You too!" I said with a shy smile.

I heard Scott say something like, "Evie, wait for me to get done," but I ignored it and turned away, trying to walk fast down the big autograph hall.


	2. Chapter 2: Comic Con...A Summary: Expensive Food and Long Bathroom Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie realizes she is being silly and decides to try and get to know Scott a little more... After all, she probably won't ever see him again after today...right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys!!! Thank you SO much for the comments and kudos!! It made me feel so good that people seemed to enjoy the first chapter which is why I am releasing this one so soon after the first one. You guys rock!

"Evie!"

I was trying to get out of the autograph hall fast. If I could make it to the escalators, I could quickly ease into the crowd and go elsewhere.

Okay, I know I'm being dumb. Scott was obviously into me, but I have this defense mechanism where I tend to disagree with people when they say I'm beautiful...when clearly there are hundreds, if not thousands of women who are way more beautiful than me. There were thousands of beautiful women here. So why would he pick me to talk to over all of them? He was clearly gorgeous...or well what I could see of his face was. And obviously he was well stacked, but...

"Evie, wait." I knew it was Scott. I knew he was close, and I sort of felt bad for running from him. And yet I still tried to get around a group of girls to get on the escalator before he grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

"I've been calling you," he said, turning me toward him. I nodded, trying not to drown in those blue eyes again and failing miserably at it. "Okay, look...maybe I came off as a little creepy. I'm sorry, but I just... I mean it. You're absolutely beautiful and I had to talk to you. Is that so wrong? Does that make me as creepy as the Hobbits?"

I laughed then, knowing for sure I was being dumb and overreacting. And again...I probably would never see him again. "You're definitely not as creepy as the Hobbits. One of them tried to feel me up during my picture with him. I had to twist his arm."

Scott chuckled and grinned at me. "You didn't."

"Oh I did. I know self defense," I told him, raising an eyebrow. I whacked him with the sword when he wasn't expecting it.

"You really like hitting me with that thing."

"It's fun." I stuck my tongue out at him and we moved closer to the hall in the back by the smaller panel and meeting rooms and bathrooms, getting out of everyone's way as they went to the escalators.

Scott and I scored some seats along one wall just as 2 other people got up and left. I put my Sebastian Stan autograph in my hard plastic sheet protector in my backpack and offered Scott a spare plastic bag I had so he could put his in there. 

"What else are you doing today?" he asked.

I looked at my phone. "Actually, nothing else today. Today I was only wanting Sebastian's autograph and wasn't really interested in any of the panels, but I thought about maybe going back up to the merch floor and buying some stuff that caught my eye earlier. Tomorrow will be a busy line day for me. I've got 2 panels, 2 autographs, and 2 photo ops tomorrow."

He nodded and looked at his phone to see the time. "Well it's only about 5:30...do you want to grab some food and then we can walk the merch floor together? I really could use some food and something to drink."

"Okay, but I need the bathroom first."

"Done."

We got up and walked toward the bathrooms. The line for the women's room wrapped around the wall and almost to the escalators. I sighed and got on line while Scott was able to immediately enter the men's room.

Comic con bathrooms were the worst. The women's room always had extremely long lines, and by the time you actually got into your stall, it was usually disgusting and had no more toilet paper left. I'd actually taken to packing a roll of toilet paper in my backpack along with some other toiletry essentials just in case. It had not failed me yet.

A few minutes went by and the line barely moved, and I could already see Scott leaving the bathroom. He walked over to me and his eyes widened at the line. He stopped about 10 feet away and waved at me to come over to him.

I raised my eyebrow and gestured toward the line. He shook his head and beckoned me over again. I rolled my eyes and left the bathroom line. "I have to go to the bathroom," I told him, not sure why he took me away from the line.

He rolled his eyes. "I know." He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the men's room. "Wait here," he said before disappearing into the men's room. He came back a few seconds later. "It's clear. I'll stand guard out here. Just go in there. You have to go...so go. There's stalls. I promise."

I grinned at him. "Hold my sword?"

"I'll guard it with my life."

I laughed and walked into the men's room, watching as he stood guard at the entry point. I was able to go to the bathroom in peace, and noticed a few other women had filtered in. I guess they had seen me with Scott and knew it was okay. When I walked out of my stall, a woman dressed as Poison Ivy smiled at me.

"Your boyfriend is great for guarding the men's room for you."

I was about to correct her, but decided not to. "Thanks. He is great."

She winked at me and fluffed her red hair. "And he's cute. Keep him, girl." And then she left.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and knew I had to fix my make-up a little. I quickly fixed it and took my hat off, deciding that the hat and the bun were giving me a headache. I let my hair down and brushed it out. I knew this would ruin the outfit a bit, but I would put the hat back on after we ate. I just needed to have my hair down for a little while.

When I was sure I looked presentable once more, I made sure there were no other women left in the bathroom and went out. Scott was standing where I'd left him, and there were a small line of men waiting to get in.

"It's clear now," I told them and the other guys glared at Scott before filtering into the men's room.

Scott handed me my sword back. "You let your hair down."

"It was bothering me." I could see that he was looking at me strange, but I chose to ignore it. "Ready to eat extremely crappy and terribly overpriced food?"

He laughed and actually grabbed my hand, making me blush slightly. "I don't care how bad it is...as long as it's somewhat edible."

We fought our way through the crowds and we miraculously found a table for 2 and took it right away.

"What do you want?" he asked, setting his shield down on the table so he could fumble with the wallet in his pocket.

I shook my head. "You can get your food first and then I'll go get mine."

"No way. I'm paying."

"But-"

"Look, you're not going to win this argument, and if you really feel bad...just think of this as a date and I'm the guy so I pay."

I sat there dumbfounded for a minute. "A date?"

He nodded. "Yep."

I laughed then. "Well, this is the weirdest first date I've ever been on, and I've tried speed dating and been set up on countless blind dates."

He grinned. "Is this weird though?"

"You're dressed as Captain America and I'm dressed as Wonder Woman."

He laughed again. "I don't call this weird. I call this...interesting. Unique. Now, what do you want to eat?"

I looked around at all the food. "I would love a slice of pizza and a water bottle."

"How about a slice of pizza and mozzarella sticks to share?"

I nodded at him and watched him walk toward the pizza counter.

My god did that man have a nice ass. I would even go as far as to say that...that IS America's ass.

***

We had already eaten our food and were now back on the merch floor. We tried walking and holding hands, but the floor was so over crowded that it became nearly impossible to. We were going row by row, trying to see all of the vendors.

My favorites were the jewelry vendors, but I also just loved looking at everything. I collected mugs and drinkware, posters, pop figurines, and so much more than that.

Scott laughed as I stopped at the 5th jewelry vendor I had found within 2 rows of each other. "You really like jewelry."

I nodded. "I actually make jewelry myself and sell it, but some of this stuff is things I could never find otherwise...or at least could never find and make cheap enough for myself. I've just started the jewelry thing about 2 years ago and sometimes just can't find what I want. Plus, I love seeing what other people create. See?" I said, holding up an absolutely breathtaking golden Wonder Woman cuff that someone made and etched themselves. It wasn't real gold, just gold colored, but it was gorgeous and I had to have it. I bought it and we moved on to a huge poster vendor.

Scott seemed to like the posters a lot. He picked out several to buy including one of Captain America that someone hand drew. I actually picked that one out to buy also, as well as one of Captain America in Infinity War with his black uniform and beard. The artist really captured the photo well. I also got a beautiful Wonder Woman one, my favorite one ever of Gal Gadot where her arms are crossed in front of her chest and she just looks like a fierce Goddess.

We continued going through the whole show floor, buying things left and right. My backpack was getting heavier and heavier, and by the time I made it to the book section, I was at my limit for things I could put in the backpack without it ripping. I had already had to reinforce the straps once last con, and I was hoping they would stand up to this extra weight.

"I bet you have a great book collection...being a librarian and all," Scott said, watching me look over the books in awe. Some of the books brought to comic con wouldn't be released until later in the year, and some of them were even signed which is what I always looked for...especially if they were from my favorite series.

"I do have tons, but I live in a small place with my best friend. She's a librarian too. Between the 2 of us, our rooms are full to the brim with shelving units. We ran out of room and had to go into the living room. We're still fighting about who gets what book case. It's a little crazy. We live in an apartment above my grandmother's house, and everytime she comes up to visit she cringes at the mess. I say it's not messy...more like chaotic in an intelligent way since it's books we hoard."

Scott laughed. "I have to admit that my own library is severely lacking, but I don't read much since I travel a lot."

I turned and frowned at him. "Yeah but...you fly a lot right?" He nodded. "So...you could read on the flights. Wouldn't that make them go faster?"

He smiled at me. "I guess so. I'm not ALWAYS answering emails on the flights...so I could read. What do you suggest?"

"What kind of books do you like to read?"

"I'm not really sure."

"Do you like fantasy? Science fiction? Action? Westerns? There's tons of genres to pick from."

He rubbed his chin. "Wow...I don't really know."

"Okay." I looked him in the eye and stopped walking, taking his hand in mine for a second. "What was your favorite book as a kid?"

"The Neverending Story."

I laughed. "Okay but did you actually read the book or just watch the movie?"

"No, really...I loved the book growing up."

I thought for a minute. "Okay listen...hear me out for a second." He nodded. "I know you're pushing 40-"

"Hey...I'm 38. That's not 40."

I laughed and squeezed his hand. "Shut up and listen. I know it sounds silly, but...have you ever read Harry Potter?"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Seriously? Harry Potter is for..."

"Kids?" I finished.

He nodded at me. "Well, yeah...isn't it?"

"So? What if it is? Have you ever tried reading it?" He shook his head. "Look, the Neverending Story was great, but Harry Potter is in the same genre. I always suggest that my library kiddos read it." He was about to protest about the kid thing again, but I stopped him. "No listen to me. Just try it. It doesn't hurt to just try the first book. Since the first book is written about young children, it DOES seem very kid-ish, but I promise they get better as Harry gets older."

"Are those your favorite books?"

In answer, I let go of his hand and pulled my skirt up to my knees, letting him see the big Harry Potter related tattoo piece on my right shin. It was an image of the silouette of Hogwarts with the Starry Night painting to act as the night sky above the castle. I let the skirt drop and moved up the sleeve on my right arm just a little. On my right wrist, I had the stars from the corners of the Harry Potter books tattooed there sort of framing my wrist so I had 2 sets of stars.

"The castle is obviously Hogwarts...these are the stars from the corners of every page of the books. So yes...those are my favorite. I'm a huge fan."

He grabbed my wrist and gently touched the stars before moving my sleeve up a little to show another tattoo higher up my forearm. This one was a bumblebee with the quote 'Live Boldly'. "What's this one?"

"Another favorite book. It's called 'Me Before You' by Jojo Moyes. It was also turned into a movie. Emilia Clark and Sam Claflin were in it."

He nodded and tried to push my sleeve further up, but it wouldn't budge more. The jacket was pretty well fitted. He took my other hand and pushed up the sleeve of my left arm, showing the open book tattoo on that wrist. "How many tattoos do you have?" he asked, running his fingers gently over the book. I felt myself get goosebumps at the touch.

"A lot. I don't think I can give you an accurate number off the top of my head, and I'd have to take off a lot more clothes to show them all to you." My eyes widened and my face turned red. "I mean because this outfit is covering everything-"

He laughed and pulled my sleeve back down. "I get what you mean." He started walking toward a different book booth as a loud annoucement went through about the sales floor closing in 20 minutes.

How had the time gone so fast? It was almost 8 o'clock. I was really enjoying my time with Scott, and I was really sad it was going to come to an end.

"I'll read Harry Potter. Think they'll have it at one of these booths that I can buy it?"

I shook my head. "They really only bring newer stuff. I have extra copies of the first book..." I stopped when he looked at me, and although I couldn't tell because of the cowl on his head, I could tell he was raising an eyebrow at me. "I mean...I could just send it to you if that wouldn't be weird."

"You could always just bring it to me tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah...you're coming all 4 days aren't you?" I nodded. "Well, so am I. So bring it with you tomorrow. I'm assuming you're going home tonight right?" I nodded again. "So then it's settled."

"What's settled?"

"You're bringing me your extra copy of the first Harry Potter book tomorrow."

"Wait...you actually want to see me again tomorrow?"

He laughed and started leading me toward the exit because it was starting to flood with people. "Of course I do."

"But...how are you going to find me tomorrow?"

He rolled his eyes. "We'll exchange phone numbers as soon as I can find a spot where we won't be trampled to death. I can text you tomorrow and we can set up a meeting place."

"You really want to see me again tomorrow?"

We were on the escalators now and he looked over at me. "Yeah...unless you don't want to see me?"

"No! I mean yes...I do want to see you. That'd be great, but I am going to be waiting on a lot of lines tomorrow."

"I'll wait on them with you."

"How do you even know it will be for panels you even want to see or people you want autographs from or pictures with?"

He shrugged. "I don't care." He grabbed my hand. "Spending more time with you seems like a great idea to me. I don't really care how that happens as long as it DOES happen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave some kudos and comments. Let me know what you think of this chapter! Encouragement gets you more chapters faster. :-)


	3. Chapter 3: If the apocalypse comes...beep me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Scott keep up with their comic con adventure and plan to meet up the following day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't yell at me for the chapter title lol. I stole it from Buffy...which you'll see has a theme in this chapter. Although...this is a crazy mad world right now. Hope you're all doing okay! Thank you all so much again for the Kudos and the comments! Keep 'em coming!

How was it possible that I was already really liking Scott after only spending 1 day with him? This was a new one...even for me. 

I can't remember the last time I had enjoyed myself this much with a man. My last real relationship had been a few years back, and I had been hurt enough by him that I hadn't wanted to jump into any relationships since then. I've dated a lot and used Tinder to meet some guys, but usually they turned out to be duds. A few times, I was stupid enough to hook up with some of the ones I met, but no relationship developed after that and it was fine. People had needs. People needed to fulfill those needs.

It had been awhile since I have even done that because I realized that I was ready for a relationship and was looking for someone to be in a relationship with. Of course, now that I was ready for that, all the guys I matched just weren't relationship material. Go figure. I was finally ready and now couldn't find anyone. But if I wanted to just hook up, there were plenty of options. I was sick of guys wanting to just hook up with me.

I was so lost in thought that it didn't register that we were outside until I smelled cigarette smoke close by. Scott was still holding my hand, and he walked us to a spot that wasn't overrun with people.

"Where's your phone?" he asked. I unlocked it and handed it to him, letting him make a new contact with his name and phone number. He opened up a new message window and texted himself from my phone so he would have my number too.

"Well, thanks for hanging out with me... I almost wish you would have been able to come up and talk to me sooner. It stinks to be at comic con by yourself. Max is coming with me on Saturday and Sunday, but she couldn't take off work today or tomorrow, and usually we split up because we both want to do different things but we meet up all throughout the day. Sometimes we do the same stuff."

We started slowly walking toward the exit that would lead to the main road, our feet shuffling on the pavement slowly like we didn't want to leave each other's presence just yet.

My sword was now in the tote bag that I had acquired with some book purchases, and I switched it to my other hand as we tapped our badges to the devices at the security checkpoint to leave.

"Do you want me to get you a cab?" Scott asked.

I shook my head. "I don't need a cab. It's really not a long way to Penn Station. I just have to take the Long Island RailRoad to get home."

"You're going to walk through New York by yourself...at night?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I mean I walked here just fine byself this morning. I have pepper spray, and there are tons of other con people that go to the train station. I take the main road and I don't go near anywhere that doesn't have a lot of street lights."

He shook his head. "No way. I'll walk you."

"You really don't-"

"No...I want to. Please let me walk you to your train. I don't want something bad to happen to you before I get to spend the whole day with you tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes at him, but smiled. "Okay but what about you... Don't you have a car to get to or a hotel or...something?"

He shrugged. "I can take a cab to my hotel from Penn Station. It isn't far from there."

I nodded. "Okay."

"Good. That didn't take much arguing... Now let me carry your backpack." Now I really did laugh at him. "I'm serious, Evie. Let me carry it for you at least to the area where you have to wait for your train to get announced."

"What if you run away and rob me of my...jewelry?"

He rolled his eyes and started taking the heavy bag off my back. "Really? What the heck would I do with all this stuff? And it's not like you keep your wallet and phone in here. I saw that your skirt has pockets."

I narrowed my eyes at him. He was way too observant. "Oh, so you know where my pockets are so you can steal that too after you attack me on a dark street corner?"

He snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. Now...I have to ask you a serious question."

"Really, Scott...what now?"

"Do you think you can handle carrying your tote bag and my shield?"

I laughed and shoved at his chest. "Gimme the shield."

"Only if you promise to guard it with your life."

I rolled my eyes and bowed dramatically. "Oh Captain, my Captain, I vow to protect your shield at the expense of my life."

"Well, if you're not going to take this job seriously..." He started to walk away with all of my stuff. I caught his hand quickly and pulled him back, forgetting about the weight of the bag and making him stumble toward me as my chest smacked into his abdomen.

His eyes were shining in the glow of the street lights, and I felt my breath speed up a little at the position we were standing in. It would be so easy to stand on my tip toes and...

He took a step back from me and handed me the shield. "I suppose you're worthy enough to protect it."

I snorted. "No...you only have to be worthy of holding Thor's hammer." I took the shield from him and started leading him toward the train station.

"Hey! You have to be worthy to hold the shield too. It just...doesn't work like the hammer. Or the axe."

"Right, right...sure, sure."

His eyes narrowed at me. "Are you mocking me?"

"Me? No...but remember I didn't give you this much shit when I asked you to hold my sword."

I could practically hear his eyes rolling at me, but I didn't look over at him and instead stared down at my feet so I wouldn't trip on something on the sidewalk.

We continued our way to the train station, joking around about who else could be worthy enough to pick up Thor's hammer.

When we got to the train station, I went toward the LIRR tracks and bought my ticket for the ride home. The next train was actually in 10 minutes. Scott gave me my backpack and I gave him his shield.

"So...what are you dressing as tomorrow?" I asked him, my eyes lingering on the screen that would announce when my train would be here at what track I would have to go to.

"Captain America," he answered. "I typically only do one costume for all of the days. It's too much work for me to come up with multiple different ones. Sometimes I dress as the Winter Soldier, but that mask makes it too hard to eat and the wig gets itchy. I like this better. My mouth has more freedom."

I laughed. "Do you ever dress in something without a mask?" I asked. He shook his head. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "I just like masks."

"Because without the mask you'd just be you and that bothers you?"

He thought about that for a second and then nodded. "Yeah...that's actually exactly it. For these things, I like to be someone different than what I am." He paused for a minute, his hand reaching over to hold mine. "What are you going to dress as tomorrow?"

I smiled over at him as the screen suddenly changed to show my track number. "You'll see tomorrow." I kissed his cheek, VERY close to his lips, lingering a little longer than normal before leaving him to follow the crowd of people going toward my train. I turned back to wave, and saw the big smile on his face. I smiled just as brightly back at him, and went down the steps to my train.

***

By the time I got in my door at home, I was completely exhausted. It was almost 10:30, and Max was waiting for me when I got there.

"How was it?" she asked, helping me with my bags.

"It was...great," I answered, feeling a dumb smile on my face.

Her eyebrow raised at me, her glasses slipping down her nose. She pushed them back up and showed me the screen of the phone. "Looks like you had fun to me. Who's the hottie?"

I grabbed her phone and looked at the instagram post. The photographer who had taken pictures of us had posted them, tagging me in the post. The caption read 'Wonder Woman captures the eye of yet another Steve'. It was so cute. There were already tons of people commenting, and some were even speculating who the mystery Captain America could be since he didn't get tagged.

I rolled my eyes about one particular comment thread that swears it must be Chris Evans in the costume. No way! That would be totally insane... Plus...that wasn't Chris Evans! That was Scott. My Scott.

That thought stopped me for a second. MY Scott? I knew this man for only like 8 hours! HOLD YOUR HORSES, EVIE.

Max snapped her fingers in my face. "Earth to, Evie. I asked you who the hottie is."

"That's Captain America."

"No fucking shit, Sherlock. What's his real name?"

I grinned at her and stuck my tongue out at her. "Scott. He saved me from some creepy Hobbits and spent the rest of the day with me. We're meeting up again tomorrow too."

Both of her brows raised in surprise. "Wow. That's really cool. Maybe I'll find me a man at comic con too. I'd settle for a Hobbit."

"You wouldn't have liked THESE Hobbits. They were creepy and you would have told them to fuck off."

I started unpacking my backpack and showing her the stuff I had gotten. I transferred the comic con essentials to my regular beat up back pack with all my patches and pins on it, and made sure I put my wallet with it by the door for tomorrow. I'd be leaving early to catch an early train.

Max knew I had to get to sleep, so we said goodnight and I quickly undressed, showered and went right to bed. I plugged my phone in and realized I already had a text from Scott.

'So what time should I show up at the train station in the morning to escort you to comic con?'

I rolled my eyes and replied back, 'You don't have to do that.'

'I know, but I want to.'

I looked at the train quickly. 'I'm hoping to catch the 7:00 am train so I can try to be in the city by about 8:00. I can let you know for sure which train I get on.'

'Great. See you in the morning, beautiful. Can't wait to see who you'll be tomorrow.'

I went to sleep with a big smile on my face.

***

The second day of comic con was off to a good start so far. I woke up on time, got ready quick enough, and was able to catch the train I wanted. I had a hard time deciding what costume to wear today, but I decided to go for a more minimalist approach. I wore a different pair of combat boots, ones that had metal studs on the part by the zipper, red jeans, a studded belt, a black short-sleeved shirt that said 'If the apocalypse comes, beep me' and it had a lace cut out for the top half of the back of it. I also wore an old beeper on my belt as a joke, a black leather jacket, some Buffy jewelry, my hair half up/half down, and some basic make-up. I made sure to grab my backpack with all of my essentials, including a fake wooden steak that was rubber. I had it from a Halloween costume from when I was a kid, and it worked perfect for this cosplay. This outfit had not cost me a lot to put together...mainly because I literally had everything except the red jeans which I was able to find at the Salvation army for $5.

I know...I am pretty amazing.

I had been texting back and forth with Scott all morning, updating him on how far from the city I was. When the train finally arrived at Penn Station, I told him where to meet me.

When I got to the Madison Square Garden area of the train station, I immediately spotted Scott because he had a group of women around him. The women were dressed as all kinds of heroes and villains, from Wonder Woman to Supergirl to Poison Ivy to Cat Woman. And they all looked great. Their costumes were on the more...slutty side with more cleavage showing than anything else, and this Poison Ivy (different from the one I saw in the bathroom yesterday) literally only had a leaf bikini on and sandals. Wow...

Scott spotted me and his face lit up. He was wearing his Captain America costume again, obviously, and he waved goodbye to the women to meet me halfway. I watched the women turn and watch him walk away before their eyes turned to me and they glared.

I didn't have time to make a face back because at that moment Scott blocked them from my view and hugged me tight.

"Wow. You make a great Buffy. Is that a real beeper?"

I laughed and took it off my belt to show him. "Yeah. It was my grandma's and she was going to throw it out, but I saved it with plans of doing this specific cosplay one day."

We started walking toward the exit of the train station, and Scott waited patiently while I stopped to grab a coffee for the walk there.

October weather in New York was always a surprise. Sometimes it was cold, sometimes it was hot, and sometimes it just rained. I could tell this was going to be a hot day, but since it was still early it wasn't too hot just yet.

Scott grabbed my hand as we talked and walked to the Javits Center, and once there, we got in line and waited to be let in. The line was wrapping around the building, but I knew from experience that it would move fast.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" he asked, holding my coffee so I could get out the booklet that had the schedule of panels and guest autographs and photo ops.

"At 11 there is an Outlander panel that I want to get in to."

"Outlander? That's a show right?"

I nodded. "Yeah it's about a woman who time travels back to Scotland in the 1700s. It's amazing. Tomorrow I'll get an autograph from the main guy in the show. I'm thinking about getting a photo op with him too, maybe if it's not too expensive." I took the coffee back from him and finished it quickly, tossing it in the trash right on the corner we were on.

"Who are you getting an autograph from and photo op with?"

"Autograph from David Tennant. Photo op with James Marsters. And the other panel I would like to attend is for Librarians in the con world."

"That sounds really interesting."

I turned toward him, looking up into those startlingly beautiful blue eyes. "What do you want to do today? It wouldn't be fair if we did all this stuff for me and nothing for you."

He smiled and lifted his hand to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. "Tom Holland is doing photo ops, so I thought I may do that."

"What else?"

"I don't know. We don't have to do much for me. You've got a lot."

"Yeah but...that's not fair to you."

"Evie, I told you yesterday that I didn't care what we did as long I got to spend more time with you, and I meant it. Besides...there are 2 more days of comic con after this remember?"

I smiled and went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek...except he turned at the last second so that I got his lips instead. His lips were soft, and tasted like mint toothpaste. I let go of his hand and put my hands on my chest to help balance myself. He grabbed me around the waist, pulling me against him, and I felt the shield at my back. His mouth opened mine, deepening the kiss, and it was then that I became really aware of the fact that I had just drank a coffee all the way here and probably had coffee breath. I gently broke the kiss and pulled back, feeling completely breathless.

A few people around us were smiling at us with knowing smirks on their faces, and I blushed. I wiped a trace of lipstick off his face. Thankfully, I had been wearing the stuff that doesn't come off easily...even if I'm kissing someone...so he only got the tiniest of smudges. It took a little rubbing to get off, but I was able to with not much fuss.

He smiled wide at me and the line started moving a bit so we walked ahead a little.

That was some kiss. Like fireworks exploding in the dark night, ovaries exploding in body, and tingly feelings all over the place kind of kiss. 

Just wow...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GASP! They kissed! I know this was a shorter chapter but what did you all think of it? Please let me know! <3


	4. Chapter 4: Lipstick and Scottish Dudes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Scott spend the second day of comic con going to panels and getting autographs and photo ops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I really appreciate the kudos and comments. Keep them coming! This chapter is really more like fluffy filler, but I figured maybe you guys could use a smile. I know I sure can...the world is getting so freaking crazy. I am stressed out beyond belief at work right now...

I couldn't keep the smile off my face as the line finally let us into the venue. Scott and I made our way down to the queue lines for the panels, and once there, we tapped our badges to secure our seats. However, since it was already almost 10 (the line had taken forever to get in), we just lined up with everyone starting to wait to get into the queue hall. There weren't a lot of people waiting, so I knew we would be able to get really good seats.

"So...Outlander..." Scott said, noting that the line was mostly full of women. "It's not really a dude show is it?"

I grinned at him. "Nope." I pulled my phone out and searched google quick to show Scott a picture of Sam Heughan.

He took the phone and then glanced at me, smirking and shaking his head. "This makes total sense now. He even has a beard in this picture."

"Of course. What's not to love? The red hair, the beard, the muscles...he wears a kilt. There's even a scene where his shirt blows up and you see his ass."

"Wow. How have I never watched this show before?"

"I really have no clue how you could have missed this. Oh, he's also got an accent."

"How can Captain America compare?"

I rolled my eyes. "Chris Evans literally has America's ass. He holds his own just fine." I turned to him. "Of course, you're not so bad yourself from what I can tell." I bumped his arm with my shoulder.

"But if I had a beard, an accent and wore a kilt I'd have a better chance right?"

I laughed and hit him with the rubber wooden steak. "That depends."

"On what?"

"On what you'd be wearing under the kilt."

Scott turned bright red, and I smirked knowingly at him. He tried to say something, but he couldn't quite get the words out. Ohhh, I was good. That had been a great one. He suddenly laughed and cleared his throat a bit. "You know, I have never met a woman who could make me blush like that."

I raised both eyebrows at him. "Oh, come on. Surely you've dated other women who have made you blush."

He shook his head. "Honestly?" I nodded at him to continue. "I haven't been in very many relationships." Um...red flag? It must have shown on my face because he immediately said, "I just mean...I have been in a few really long term relationships that crashed and burned. I even dated one of them again in hopes of making it work but, no one has been the right...fit. No one has seen me for me."

"I get it. I haven't had much luck with relationships. And quite honestly, I'm over dating apps leading to horribly failed first dates or just one night stands." He glanced at me. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You can't tell me you haven't had your fair share of one night stands."

"I just didn't think women were so honest about it."

"We've already established that I'm a very honest person. And I don't give a shit what anyone thinks about me."

"And yet, you were ready to run when I told you that you were the most beautiful woman here."

I turned to him, arms crossed over my chest. "Okay. There is a huge difference in being a sexual person and feeling like you're beautiful. You do realize that it's literally instilled in women's brains that unless you're a size zero you aren't perfect? I'm not saying I'm not pretty. I feel pretty, but I am more than well aware that I am not what society considers pretty. So excuse me if I see girls dressed in...leaf bikinis and body glitter walking around and feel insecure about myself. And a guy like you..." I stopped.

"No. Go ahead. Say it."

"A guy like you...should be talking to those girls. Not me."

"But I AM talking to you. Not those girls. And I don't want to. Those girls...they aren't real. You are. You're the realest woman I have ever talked to."

I turned to look at those blue eyes. They were as blue as the bluest skies with a ring of darker blue around the edge of the iris. I could tell they were eyes that would change depending on what color he wore. I cracked under that beautiful gaze, and a smile slowly came to my face. He smiled back at me and leaned in to kiss me in the barest brush of lips.

My heart leapt in my chest, and I felt the faintest of flutters in my stomach, the ever elusive butterflies. No man I had ever kissed had ever made me feel like this.

He pulled back and swept a piece of hair back behind my ear. He had another small smudge of lipstick above his top lip, and I reached out to rub it away again.

"If we keep doing this, I'm going to have to get my lipstick off. It's going to end up all over you by the end of the day," I said in a soft voice, not quite whispering. 

A very boyish, impish grin came across his face. "Challenge accepted," he said as he grabbed me again and tried to kiss me.

I laughed and pushed him away. "Oh, stop it. You can wait until later."

He hugged me and kissed my forehead, making me blush the tiniest bit. "Looking forward to it."

***

We spent the rest of the time waiting until the panel just joking around and talking about other people's cosplays.

When the time finally came for the hall to be opened, people flooded in to get seats. We wound up getting great seats, only a few rows from the stage and right in the center.

The room filled up quickly, and soon the panel host was coming out to get us hyped up and ready for the special guests. The guests for this panel were some of the writers, Sam Heughan (he played Jamie in the show), and Caitriona Balfe (the woman who played Claire in the show). The crowd went completely insane when Sam Heughan came out, and I have to admit that even I cheered and yelled.

Scott just watched it all and laughed.

Soon the panel started and the host started asking questions about the new season and what was coming up for Jamie and Claire's characters. After a while, they opened the floor up to questions from the guests, and women ran for the 2 microphones set up in the main aisles. I never asked questions because I was always a little embarrassed about public speaking. Sure, I work in a public library and sometimes do events and story time...but that was always under a hundred people. This room easily held almost a thousand or more people in it.

I laughed at some of the questions answered like, 'Would Jamie be showing more skin in the new season?' or 'Would there be more sex scenes in the new season?'

The questions people asked were ridiculous. They were about to wrap up when the panel host said, "Oh...so there's actually a surprise for this audience here today."

Everyone froze and went silent, waiting to hear what it was. This had happened to me before in panels I had sat in on. A few times it had been to show a brand new episode before anyone else could see it. Another time for the show 'The Librarians', they announced a free autograph session for the cast. I had immediately run over to the autograph hall after the panel and was able to get a bracelet to secure my autographs. THAT had been really cool. I was able to meet and get autographs from 4 out of the 6 main cast.

"Throughout the entire hall, there are only 75 seats that have a dragonfly magnet stuck to the bottom of it. If you have a dragonfly, congratulations because that means that you will get a free photo op with Sam Heughan right after this!"

People started screaming and scrambling to reach under their seats. Ones that quickly found their dragonflies started screaming even louder. I reached under my seat and fumbled around, but came up with nothing.

I turned to Scott and he had a dragonfly in his hand. My eyes widened. "You got one."

He grinned. "Yeah I did. Do you want it?" I nodded at him. "Well...but what if I wanted to get a picture with the good looking Sam Heughan?" I glared at him and he laughed and handed the dragonfly to me.

I squealed in excitement and hugged him before putting the dragonfly securely in my pocket. People were going crazy and I didn't want someone to try and steal it from me like people tried to steal Charlie Bucket's golden ticket.

The panel host told the people with dragonflies where to go for the photo op and to head right over there since it would begin shortly. Scott and I got up and started making our way out of the hall, and I was thankful we had been in end seats. We somehow miraculously made it out of the hall quickly and over to hall where the photo ops were. I got on line, and was thankful to only be the 10th person since right after this I would have to book it to get my autograph from David Tennant. Scott stood on the outside of the metal bars that acted as the line I was in.

"You excited to meet the hot Scottish dude?" he asked, and I knew there was a twinge of jealousy in his voice.

I snorted at him. "Oh, please. He's a celebrity. He doesn't notice normal people. Don't worry...I'll still spend the rest of the day with you."

"Are you making fun of me?" he asked, faking hurt and holding his chest.

"Yes. Of course I am."

He suddenly leaned toward me and kissed me gently. "I'm going to go get that photo op with Tom Holland now and then we can go get on your line for David Tennant." He started to turn away.

"Scott?" He turned back to me. "Just...get the lipstick off your face first."

A few women around me laughed and he blushed before smiling at me and turning away to go to the bathroom.

Very soon after my line started moving and people started getting their pictures. My turn came fast, and I went behind the curtain, seeing Sam standing there with a smile on his face.

We introduced ourselves and chatted for a minute about the show before we got our picture. I told him I would see him tomorrow and get him to sign the picture we had just taken.

I walked out and went to the area to get my picture printed, and saw Scott standing by the counter and waiting for me. He already was done with his picture, and he showed it to me. Of course Tom Holland was pretending to punch him and Scott was blocking the punch with his shield. It was adorable and made me laugh, but I couldn't help thinking once again that there was still something so familiar about Scott.

The thought slipped away once my name was called and I was given my own picture.

"Let's see then," Scott said, and I moved so he could see it while looking over my shoulder. "Wow look at the smile on your face."

I smacked his chest and laughed. "Come on... I gotta get in line for David Tennant!"

He took my hand and walked over to the autograph hall. I found my queue line and found it pretty full, but I was still able to get in between the metal bars.

"I'm going to go get something to drink...you want anything?" he asked.

"Water would be great. Thanks. I'll see you in a bit."

He smiled and walked away, and boy did I watch him go. That man really had the nicest ass I had ever seen. He turned and caught me looking and wagged his finger at me. I turned bright red and turned around fast, hearing him laugh from practically across the room.

***

The day was almost over. I had gotten my autograph from David Tennant, my photo op with James Marsters, and we had attended the librarians in the con world panel.

We had eaten lunch, and he had guarded the men's room for me a few times so I could use the bathroom without waiting on line for over an hour. We were walking around the sales floor again, but it was almost time for it to close.

I wasn't ready for this day to end. It was ridiculous how much I felt myself liking Scott. How could you like someone this much after only 2 days of knowing them? And even weirder...I hadn't even seen him without his mask on. I kind of figured out that maybe he had like a gnarly scar on his face and was touchy about it, so I didn't really want to push but... it was just a tad bit strange.

***

"So...same time tomorrow at the train station?" he asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. We were on our way back to the train station now, slowly walking hand in hand.

"Sure. But...I have to warn you that Max is going to grill you like crazy."

"I think I can handle the pressure. She's your best friend. She means well."

"Sure. But mostly because she is nosey as fuck. So be prepared."

He laughed. I was starting to really love the way he laughed. It was so contagious. "You going to tell me who you're going to be dressed as tomorrow?" he asked.

"Nope."

"Is that because you don't want to tell me or because you have no clue who you're going to cosplay as tomorrow?"

I laughed so hard I had to stop walking and double over. He was laughing too, and he pulled me back up so I was pressed against his chest. "How do you know me so well when we only met less than 48 hours ago?"

He grinned and kissed my cheek. "I may have also stalked some of your social media."

"Oh, wow. You really are a stalker. What did you look at?"

He shifted the cowl on his head a bit. "Um...all of it?"

I shoved him. "Well, that hardly seems fair. How did you even find me? I didn't tell you my last name."

"I looked up the picture that the photographer took yesterday."

"Hmm. Or you really are stalking me and are about to kill me."

He laughed and grabbed my hand as we walked into the train station. "Nope. Scout's honor. I'm not trying to kill you."

We went to the LIRR section and I got my ticket. We were barely standing in the waiting room for 3 minutes when my train announced its arrival and track number.

I sighed. "I guess I better go. I still have to figure out what to wear tomorrow, after all."

He pulled me to him and kissed me. I gripped his shoulders and deepened the kiss, forgetting about everything around me.

There was suddenly a warning that my train was leaving in 2 minutes. I gasped and pulled away, laughing at all the lipstick on his face.

"See you tomorrow!" I said as I ran for the tracks. 

When I got to my seat on the train, the doors shut immediately after and started departing from the station. I took out my mirror and rubbed the rest of the lipstick off my face with a wet wipe.

Maybe tomorrow I will get to see him without his mask on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments, as always, are much appreciated! Next chapter...be prepared. It all starts to unravel in the next one.
> 
> Stay safe out there, everyone. I know it's scary out there right now, but if you're quarantined, just keep doing things that you love to do...like reading fanfiction. Do all of the things that you love!


	5. Chapter 5: "Who the fuck made Wonder Woman cry?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie finally finds out the truth about Scott.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, this has been a really rough week. This is literally one of the only things keeping me from completely losing it right now. I hope you guys enjoy this...
> 
> And I really hope all of you are being safe out there!
> 
> I start working remotely from home tomorrow...so updates may happen more frequently for a bit so I can keep myself happy.
> 
> For those of you leaving me comments and kudos, I am eternally grateful...more than you will ever know.
> 
> There is also something else I want to address...
> 
> Someone asked me when Tom would be coming in, and I know he hasn't made an appearance yet, but I promise he will. The relationship with Tom doesn't happen right off the bat, but I wanted to add all of it into the tags and the relationship section so that if people aren't into threesomes and poly-amorous relationships that they would at least get a heads up so they could choose to read this or not.
> 
> Thanks for being patient with me! Love you all.

"Stop fidgeting with the dress," Max growled at me as we got off the train. "You look freaking beautiful. So stop it!"

We had gotten up really early to help each other get ready. She was dressed as Taako Taaco from Adventure Zone, which actually was a very complicated costume and make up look. I was dressed as Wonder Woman again, but this time I had chosen to go for the blue dress look.

You know the dress. The part of the movie where she steals the dress from someone to get into a party. The one where she has the sword hilt sticking up out of the back.

I was freaking out. I had never done this costume before, but it was something I had been wanting to try for a while. I had found the dress in a thrift shop, and it was eerily similar to the one from the movie. After doing some alterations to get it to fit me just right and make it look more like her dress in the movie, I had put it in the back of my closet for a rainy day. I normally did not dress like this. I was not skinny, and this dress hugged every curve I had. But Max had convinced me. Max was carrying a bag with all of our stuff, including a change of clothes for me if I got really uncomfortable. Since a bag wouldn't have looked great with this dress, she had volunteered to just carry it for both of us.

With the blue dress, I had Max braid my hair into a beautiful updo, and I wore a golden headdress similar to Wonder Woman's along with golden cuffs on my wrists. I could not find a comfortable way to wear the foam sword down the back of my dress, but I had found a way to make just the hilt of the sword out of foam and paint it gold. That was attached to the back of my dress, and golden sandals completed the outfit.

A lot of my tattoos were showing since both of my arms were nearly full sleeves, and the tattoos on my back and collar bones were showing too. I also had a small tattoo of a feather behind my ear which was showing nicely with the way my hair was up. The dress also was one of those ones that went down to just below the knee but then swooped down almost to the floor in back. If I had been any shorter, the dress would have dragged and I would have had to hem it. The tattoos on my lower legs were showing too.

Oh, and the dress was low cut enough in front and back that I couldn't wear a real bra. I had had to get one of those bras that stuck to you with what felt like super glue. My boobs were too big to go without a bra. Amen for D cups...

I could already feel myself sweating from nervousness.

"Evie, stop it."

"I'm not doing anything," I growled at Max.

"Yes, you are. You are completely freaking out. Stop freaking out. You look like a fucking bombshell, dude. Captain America is gunna flip his fucking lid."

"Well, you're definitely right about that," someone said from behind us.

I hadn't been paying attention to where we were walking exactly, and now I realized we had walked right by the spot where I had met Scott yesterday. I turned and saw him standing there and his eyes widened even more when he saw me from the front.

"I...wow. You look- Um." He was stuttering over his words.

Max laughed and patted him on the chest. "At ease, soldier. You can shut that mouth of yours now." He looked at her incredulously and I laughed. "I'm Maxine," she said. "You must be Scott. I've heard a lot about you, but enough talking and more walking. We gotta get there so I can get into my Adventure Zone panel early. I wanna see my boys."

Max started walking toward the exit without us, her flowery skirt flowing around her. Her cosplay was really stunning. It consisted of a flowery skirt that came to mid thigh, beautiful velvety blue boots that came up to her knees, a white button up shirt with a black corset over top which really gave her a whole lot of cleavage, a wide brimmed wizard's hat, pointed ears, more make-up than I put on in a month's time, and a big teal umbrella that was long and had a curved handle. She really did look beautiful. This was definitely her element.

Scott kissed me quickly and handed me a cup of coffee that I didn't notice he had been holding.

"Wow. Thank you." I tasted it and it was a caramel flavored iced coffee with extra cream and sweet and low. He had remembered my order from yesterday. Now I was even more impressed.

"Now I'm glad I grabbed you coffee since it seems we're going to have to run to catch up with her."

I laughed. "That's Max for you. She is very excited for her panel. Her favorite podcast dudes are going to be there. She's flipping out."

"What podcast?"

"Adventure Zone. The McElroy brothers do this particular one."

"Never heard of it."

"I didn't either until I met Max in college. She tried to get me into it, but I'm just not big on podcasts."

"Me neither." We were quiet for a bit while we walked fast to catch up with Max on the street. "Oh by the way, you forgot to give me the first Harry Potter yesterday."

I grinned at him. "I know. I have it with me today. I can give it to you when we get in line because Max is holding our bag. I see you have your backpack today. Going to change at some point?" 

He nodded. "Yeah I actually have to leave you for a few hours today. I have something I have to get to for work and I have to change for it, but then I can meet back up with you later."

"Oh. Okay."

He must have heard the disappointment in my voice or it must have shown on my face. He grabbed my hand and stopped me for a second to kiss me again. "It will only be for a few hours."

I smiled a little. "I know. It's okay. I have a lot of lines again today anyway."

"If I could skip it I would, but I can't get out of it."

I nodded. "It's fine. We can always grab food on the way back to the train station later."

He smiled. "Yeah maybe."

We continued walking until we finally caught up with Max. Several minutes later, we were on line to get into the venue and Max was showing me her phone.

"Did you see this one of you guys from yesterday?" she asked, turning the phone toward us. Someone had caught a picture of us kissing and the caption said, 'Captain America likes strong women. Buffy falls for a non-vampire.'

I laughed hard at the caption. "Wow. That's a good one. Send it to me?"

She nodded and started scrolling through her phone again. "Oh, wow! Did you see this article? There's a surprise Marvel panel today!"

"WHAT?!" I yelled louder than I meant to. I grabbed her phone and looked at the article.

'New York Comic Con announces surprise Marvel Panel. Panel guests are still under wraps, but we can only guess that Tom Holland and Sebastian Stan are going to be on it since they are doing autographs and photo ops at NYCC this year. But who else could be on the panel?'

"What time is that at?" I asked her.

"3:00," she answered, and I could see her looking at Scott behind me. "I bet you're excited about this, huh?"

He smiled sort of sadly at her. "Yeah but that is when I will be gone for my work meeting. I can't miss it."

Max nodded. "Oh, right. Working at a security firm must mean you are constantly on the clock, huh?" There was something in her voice...she was almost being condescending? Sarcastic? What the heck was that about?

"Basically," he answered, and then we were all silent.

What the fuck had just happened that I clearly had missed?

I decided to ignore whatever was going on, and opened the backpack on Max's back and grabbed the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone book out and handed it to Scott.

"Here you go."

He took it from me and opened it immediately, his eyes scanning the first page. "I'm starting this tonight when I go back to my hotel," he said.

I grinned at him. "Then I can't wait to hear what you think of it when we see each other tomorrow."

"If I like it enough, will you bring me your extra copy of the 2nd book tomorrow?"

My smile got even wider, if it were possible. "Of course."

"Oh, no. She already convinced you to read it, huh?" Max asked, not sounding very surprised. "She tries to casually slip into all of her daily conversations with new people she meets that they should read Harry Potter if they haven't already. She's a super nerd."

I rolled my eyes. "Hey. You're a super nerd too," I told her. "Harry Potter just happens to be the thing I am most nerdy about. What's so wrong with that?"

She stuck her tongue out at me. "You're 30 years old, Evie. Your Hogwarts letter is never coming."

I held a hand to my heart. "Wow, Max. You're a bitch."

"Damn straight," she said, grabbing me in a hug for a second before going back to reading whatever on her phone.

The line was starting to slowly move forward, and Scott and I talked about random shit while Max read stuff on her phone and ignored us.

Once the line finally let us into the venue, Max gave me a few things of mine from her bag and ran off to her panel. Thankfully, I had altered the dress to have pockets, so I was able to fit my wallet and phone in them and just decided to carry my picture with Sam Heughan that I was going to get autographed. Actually, that was where I was headed first.

Scott and I walked to the autograph hall, and since the line for Sam was fairly empty still, Scott just stood in the line with me to wait.

He ran his hand down my arm, gently running over some of the tattoos, making goosebumps raise up on my arms. "You really do look beautiful today. I mean you did the other days but you look extra beautiful today."

I smiled shyly at him. "It's not too much?"

"It's perfect." He kissed me again, and I let myself get deeper into the kiss until someone behind us cleared their throats.

I pulled away from him, my face red from embarrassment, and turned to see that there were a few people behind us. The group was mixed with guys and girls and they were dressed as several different Marvel and DC characters.

They asked to take a picture with us, and I checked to make sure that Scott didn't have any lipstick on his face before we agreed. We took a bunch of pictures with them, and the girl (probably in her late teens) dressed as Black Widow begged to take a picture of Scott and I together. I let her, and gave her my instagram information to tag me. She grinned widely at me. "You were the girl he was kissing yesterday as Buffy weren't you? And the one he was dancing with the day before?" I smiled and nodded at her. "That Wonder Woman cosplay was beautiful too, but this one blows every Wonder Woman cosplay I've ever seen out of the water. You are really really pretty. Did you make the dress yourself?"

"I actually found it at a thrift store and just altered it a bit. I couldn't believe I had found one that matched the perfect shade of blue as her dress in the movie. I think it may have been a prom dress."

"Wow! You're so talented. I can't wait to look at your insta and see what other cosplays you have done in the past." She looked past me to where Scott was talking to the other guys and girls from her group. "You know...he really bears a striking resemblance to Chris Evans."

I looked at him and then back at her and laughed. "I mean I guess...but that's not him."

She shrugged and hugged me. "Well, I'll leave you to get your autograph with the Scottish hottie from Outlander. See ya around!"

I waved goodbye and she left with her group. Scott came back over to me and smiled. "They all thought that you're way prettier than me and asked what the hell I'm doing with you."

I shoved him. "They did not say that to you."

He laughed and grabbed me around the waist. "They did. I swear they did."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Well, the girl I was talking to said you resembled Chris Evans. Isn't that kind of crazy?"

Scott tensed a little but then laughed it off. "Yeah that's crazy."

I was about to say something else when Scott looked at the time. "I better get out of the line. It's almost time for Sam to come out, and I kind of want to go get a photo op with Sebastian Stan. Meet you back here after?"

I nodded and he kissed me before walking away. Something was different about him today. He was acting weird, and I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong.

***

The day was going by fast, and I had already gotten my autograph from Sam Heughan, walked around the show floor for a few hours and seen my panel for Good Omens. Scott had been with me for it all, but he had just left to go to his work thing. He was still acting strange. I could not for the life of me figure it out. Was it something I did? Did he suddenly decide he didn't like me anymore?

I wasn't sure, but it was really starting to bug me.

Max and I had met up a little bit ago and had gotten something to eat. We were now standing on the line waiting to get into the hall where the Marvel panel was going to be held.

She was looking at her phone again and had shown me how popular my pictures with Scott were today.

I had told her about my weird feeling about Scott, and she agreed that something was up, but I felt like she also was not telling me something.

A little bit later, Max was shoving her phone at me again. It was another article.

'Rumors of Chris Evans at New York Comic Con confirmed.'

The article had a video attached, and I hit play, seeing Chris on camera being interviewed by some random person.

"So are you really walking around comic con in costume so that no one figures out who you are?" the woman asked him.

He smiled, and something in my stomach dropped a little. "Yeah. It's actually been a lot of fun. People are talking to me and getting to know the real me...not the celebrity they think they know."

"Well, I for one...as well as your fans I'm sure, would love to know what you're dressing up as so they can try to find you."

He grinned at her, and the grin was so much Scott's grin that I gasped a little. "I can't tell you that. That would spoil it all."

She thought for a second. "There's been some pictures of a man in a very convincing Captain America costume who looks like he's been pictured with the same woman 2 days in a row. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Chris laughed then, a deep belly laugh that had him leaning back in the seat and grabbing his stomach. "That would be a little too obvious, wouldn't it?"

My heart literally stopped. I would know that laugh anywhere. I pushed the phone back toward her.

"Oh, sweetie. I knew something was off with him, and I was pretty sure he was actually Chris Evans, but I wasn't 100% sure until just now," she hugged me. "This isn't bad though...is it? I mean he's still the guy you've talked to constantly the past couple of days."

I snapped out of my shocked state. "Yeah, but Max he LIED. He lied about who he was and what he did for work."

"But that doesn't mean he lied about anything else."

"How do you know that? How could you KNOW that? I knew you were acting weird toward him this morning. You knew right away that something was off. How could I be so fucking stupid?" I felt tears start to sting at my eyes, and immediately felt foolish.

This was completely and utterly ridiculous. How had I not realized that he was actually Chris Evans? I was so stupid! And to not even insist on seeing him without his mask on...

"I'm so fucking dumb." I was so fucking angry with myself for actually crying over this. I knew this was too good to be true. I knew something wasn't quite right with him. I knew something seemed familiar...and it was literally fucking smacking me in the face!

"You are a little dumb," Max said, taking tissues out to hand them to me.

I laughed and rolled my eyes at her. "Oh, thanks." I wiped at my face with the tissues.

She was about to say something to me, when all of a sudden four Hobbits suddenly appeared on the other side of the queue line right by us. It was the same group who had followed me around the first day. How could I have gotten so lucky??

"Who the fuck made Wonder Woman cry?" one of them asked, outraged.

Well, now I had a whole crowd of people looking at me and seeing me cry. Awesome.

"Was it that Captain America dude?" another Hobbit asked.

Max could not contain herself. "Oh, fuck off little Hobbitses." They looked shocked. "Seriously, leave her the fuck alone. Thanks for drawing more attention to the fact that she's upset. Now, off you fuck all the way back to Mordor. Shoo!" She literally shooed them with her hands, making waving motions like shooing an animal away.

A few people around us laughed, and thankfully the Hobbits walked away.

I turned back to Max. "I have to go to the bathroom. Save my spot? Or if they let you in just save me a seat and I'll find you."

She nodded and gave me the rest of my emergency make-up kit from our bag. I carefully went under the rail of the queue line with the help of a particularly nice Batman and ran for the bathroom, cutting the whole line of women and assuring them that I was just fixing my make-up.

I couldn't even fucking believe that this was happening to me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And the truth is out there!!!
> 
> She FINALLY found out the truth. So far she is NOT reacting well...but can you blame her?
> 
> The next chapter you will get to see the internal struggle Evie has with this.
> 
> Thanks for reading...and as always...please leave some comments!
> 
> If you're new here, please leave some kudos!
> 
> It is all MUCH appreciated!!!! <3 <3 <3


	6. Chapter 6: "You're...sorry?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cat is FINALLY out of the bag now! Evie knows the truth..and now Chris knows that she knows... So how will Evie react when face to face with Chris.
> 
> As you can imagine...not great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The world is completely messed up and so scary right now. Please stay safe out there, everyone! I hope this brings you some happiness...although it doesn't start out very happy. I PROMISE it ends okay and next chapter...we get to the REALLY good stuff. *rubs hands together evilly* YEP! Next chapter WILL HAVE SEX! I promise.

By the time I had gotten myself together enough to leave the bathroom, the line had already moved completely into the panel hall and people were being seated. I texted Max to see where she was, and was shocked that she was somehow able to score us seats in the 2nd row right in the center of the stage.

I made some people very angry as I cut through the stream of people being seated at the back, and then had to climb over about 10 people to get to my seat with Max in the middle of our row.

"Nice seats," I said to her, smiling apologetically at the Winter Soldier cosplayer next to me whose foot I had accidentally stomped on.

"Are you okay?" she asked, taking the kit from my hands and putting it back into the bag which was now resting on the floor by her feet.

I shrugged. "No. Not until I can talk to him."

"He's going to know that you figured it out. He'll know that video got out...and I have a feeling he's going to be on this panel," she whispered to me so that no one around us would overhear. "Are you going to be able to sit here through it?"

"Honestly? I'm really not sure."

She was about to say something else, but got cut off by the panel host. He was really getting the crowd to scream and go wild. I forgot his name, but he was usually the panel host for most of these things at Comic Con and he was really good.

He introduced the guests: Tom Holland, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston and Chris Evans.

The crowd went COMPLETELY insane. I have never heard a crowd scream so loud in my entire life, and I actually cringed and covered my ears until the panel host was able to control the crowd again.

There he was. Sitting on the stage in a pair of jeans, a well fitted t-shirt, and a pair of sneakers. How he made such a casual outfit look so good, I'll never know. I felt my heart rate quicken, almost like I couldn't help myself.

It was so obvious now. How had I not figured it out by myself sooner? How had I not known?

The panel was really great. They were dishing all kinds of stuff about the last movie and what the future could hold for certain characters in the future of the Marvel universe. It was a really long panel, and the longer I sat and listened to him talk, the more upset I was getting.

They opened the floor to fan questions, and I watched Max launch herself over 5 people to get into the aisle with the mic as quick as possible. It wasn't pretty. She was stepping on people and knocking them over with her umbrella. She made it to the mic line and she was only second in line on that side.

A couple of people asked questions ahead of her, and then it was her turn.

"Oh, no," I muttered, watching the recognition on Chris's face as he realized who was standing at the mic now.

"Hi, I'm Max."

"Hi, Max," said the panel host. "Great Taako cosplay. What's your question?"

"Thank you," she bowed, tipping her hat dramatically. "My question is actually for everyone. If you could hide your true identity from people in order to make them like you and see past the celebrity face, would you do it? And how long do you think you could keep the charade up before the person figured it out?"

The whole room sort of went weirdly quiet. I watched the panelist furrow his eyebrows in question. Chris couldn't even look at Max, and his eyes somehow immediately found me in the audience. I turned my head away from him to look back at Max.

"Um...wow that's a weirdly specific question," Tom Holland said. "I mean...it is kind of hard to meet chicks who aren't just throwing themselves at you because of who you are. So maybe I would try it? But like I would tell them pretty quickly..."

The other guests agreed and I noticed Chris didn't really say anything.

"Thanks, guys!" Max said before walking away.

I watched Sebastian look over at Chris and give him a weird look. Chris just shook his head and mouthed something to him that I couldn't make out. Sebastian had to know what was going on because I'm pretty sure they were close friends in real life, or at least that's what the internet told me.

Max was making her way back to her seat, and I was suddenly mad again. This person...this person I thought I knew...I now felt like I knew nothing about.

And how the fuck was I supposed to handle the fact that I was actually kissing and making out with a celebrity?! I wasn't pretty enough for him before...I sure as fucking hell wasn't pretty enough for him now!

Max grabbed my hand, and I leaned into her, whispering my thanks before resting my head on her shoulder. I was tired. I was tired, and I wanted to fucking go home. I couldn't process all this shit going through my head now.

A little while later, the questions were finally over and the panel ended.

"Thank fuck," I said as we grabbed our stuff and made a beeline for the exit. We purposely avoided going past the stage and instead went toward the back exit that would lead by the cafeteria.

"Do you have anything else today?" she asked me as we got sucked into the crowd of people trying to leave the hall.

"No. I was going to maybe go back up to the show floor, but I'm honestly so tired and just want to go home. But if you want to stay, I'll just go to the quiet room for awhile and sit down. Maybe rest my head a little. I have a headache."

"Well-"

She was cut off by a security person stopping us at the door.

"Evie and Max?" he asked, though I was sure he already knew who we were. I sighed as Max nodded in answer to the question. "Follow me," he said before turning and going through the crowd with ease. Crowds tended to move for security pretty well, and as we moved to follow him we were flanked by 2 more guards behind us.

We were led to a hidden doorway far away from the crowd of people. There were 2 more security guards blocking the door, and they nodded at our guards before opening it for us to let us through. Our 3 guards led us down a long hallway and finally to a small room at the end of it on the left.

"Wait here," the same guard said in an ominous tone before the 3 of them left Max and I alone in the room.

"Shit," I said.

"Double shit," Max said.

I was biting my lip so hard I actually tasted blood. I made myself stop biting my lip, and got up to go through our backpack for chapstick to help with the small cut.

"I'm not ready for this."

"Babe, you gotta do this. You have to talk to him."

I whirled on her, feeling anger surge through me. "Why? Why do I have to do this? Obviously this is some kind of fucking game. A game I'm not going to fucking win, Max. You know why?" My voice was raised, and I knew it but I couldn't stop myself now. "Because there is no way a celebrity is going to date me. Why would he? ME? Of all the fucking people in the universe? This has been some kind of sick fucking joke!" My voice was echoing in the small room, and Max just sat there and let me yell at her.

I started pacing the room, and knew I must look like an insane person, but I didn't give a shit. "I can't do this. I canNOT do this. I have spent the past 3 days talking to him thinking he was a different person. I kissed him. I made out with him! And he's Chris Evans! What the actual FUCK?"

The door to the small room suddenly opened, and I stopped in my tracks when Chris came into the room. My heart sped up and all those butterflies I felt for him when I kissed him came back, but I pushed it all away.

I walked up to him and pushed him. "You're an asshole!"

My voice echoed for a minute, and then there was silence.

I heard Max move off the couch. "Okay...I SO do not need to be here for this. You kids talk. Play nice. I'm going to wait outside of this room until you figure this shit out." She left and now I was suddenly alone with Chris Evans.

He tried to grab my arm, but I pulled away from him and walked to the couch. I sat down and crossed my arms over my stomach, afraid if I crossed them over my chest it would shift my boobs in the dress too much.

"I'm sorry," he said.

I laughed, and it was an angry sound, and couldn't help the tears that came to my eyes. "You're...sorry?"

He sighed and sat on the couch next to me, holding his head in his hands. His hair was short, shorter than the last Avengers movie, and I realized I preferred it longer, and I definitely liked when he had a beard, but he was still so utterly fucking handsome.

"Look. I always go to cons. I always dress up so people don't know it's me. I never usually announce that I'm even at a con and no one ever knows, but then they wanted to do this panel, and my publicist pushed me to say that I was here. I didn't want you to find out this way."

"When were you planning on telling me? After comic con ended and I would never even see you again?" I stood up and walked to the opposite side of the room from where he was. I couldn't be near him right now. I was already at my breaking point and knew the dam of tears would flood out soon.

"I wanted to tell you the first night. I almost did when we were waiting for the train, but I didn't want to ruin this. You were getting to know me...the real me. Not the face that everyone sees or the facts that everyone reads online. It was all me."

"Except that you lied about your name and your job. How do I know you didn't lie about everything?" I laughed angrily again. "God, I just fucking realized that you have a brother named Scott." The tears were leaking out of my eyes now, I couldn't help it. "Jesus, Chris. I actually fucking like you. This is so fucked up. Was this all a fucking game to you? Just a joke on the poor unsuspecting chubby girl who had no idea who you really were? Lead her on and make out with her and pretend like you like her and then when comic con ends totally ghost her? Is that what this is?" I was shouting at him and was shocked when he grabbed my shoulders from behind and turned me toward him.

He was pissed. He was so fucking mad, and he was scowling at me. "Everything else I told you was true. Everything except my job and my name. Everything else was all me. The REAL me. This isn't a game. I really do like you! I really was going to tell you, but was just trying to figure out how to do so in a way that wouldn't scare you away. I knew after that first night that I wanted to keep talking to you...keep seeing you. And do not call yourself chubby. I have told you time and time again that you are beautiful, and I meant it. I don't think you're chubby. So don't say that."

I tried to push him away. "Chris, seriously?! Are you that fucking blind? I'm not a stick figurine. I'm not a Barbie Doll. I'm not a model. I'm certainly not a movie star...so what are you doing? What the FUCK are you doing?!" I was yelling in his face, trying to pull away from him, but he wasn't letting me.

"Damnit, Evie! Stop!" Now he was yelling, but not in a way to make me think he would hurt me or anything. "Nothing about this has changed. Nothing about what we have has changed."

"Everything's changed!"

"How?! How has it changed?"

"You're Chris Evans!"

"No shit. That doesn't change anything for me! I really like you, Evie. I REALLY like you. I want to keep spending time with you the rest of today and tomorrow. I want to keep talking to you after this and take you out on a date and then another date and another... I want to make this work."

"Why?"

He let go of my shoulders suddenly and threw his hands up in the air. "You are so infuriating! What do you mean why? I have already told you that I really like you! No one has ever made me feel the way you do. NO ONE. You make me feel alive, damnit, in a way that no one else has. I want this to work. I want to keep seeing you. What do I have to do to make you understand that?"

I was quiet for a minute before I sat back down on the couch and sighed. I wiped my eyes and rested my head in my hands. The crying had really brought on the headache now, and I was massaging my temples when I felt Chris sit next to me on the couch. His hands slid over my bare back, rubbing me gently.

His hands on my bare skin brought a gasp from my mouth. He hadn't touched this much of my bare skin before, and I couldn't help the feelings of butterflies from rampaging through my stomach. My heart was beating faster again. I couldn't deny the way he made me feel. He had said it pretty accurately. He made me feel...alive. Alive in a way that no one else ever had.

I turned my face toward him and he took my face in his hands, gently wiping at the now drying tears with his thumbs. "I really like you," I whispered to him.

He smiled then, that brilliant thousand watt smile that made my heart leap into my throat. "I really like you," he whispered back before kissing me.

I caved. All of the tension released from my body and I kissed him back with everything I had in me. The kiss deepened, and I opened my mouth to him, letting him explore mine with his tongue.

There was no fight left in me now. How could I deny the feelings that were clearly here? I didn't want to even think about how we could even start making this work. Dating a celebrity would come with a lot of consequences, and I wasn't sure if the pros would necessarily outweigh the cons, but right now I pushed those thoughts away and just let myself live in the moment.

Chris pulled me to him, and I surprised both of us when I bunched the dress up in my hands, pulling it upward toward my thighs so I could straddle his lap. I never broke the kiss, my body pressing eagerly against his. His hands moved to my hips before grasping my ass in his hands. He pushed my hips down against his, rolling me against his denim covered crotch. The friction made me gasp in pleasure, and my hands that had been running through his short hair tightened and tugged on the strands. It drew a small moan from his throat, and my mouth swallowed it.

His hands moved up my body, grazing over my breasts and cupping them in his hands. I was nearly drowning, but a thought suddenly occurred to me.

"Wait," I gasped, pulling away from him and moving his hands back down to my butt.

He froze beneath me, afraid he had crossed some line. "I'm sor-"

I shook my head and kissed him again quickly. Once I pulled away again, I smiled at him and sat back on his knees. "It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. I just know that if you touch my boobs right now, they are going to fall out of this dress and the bra will be ruined and I won't be able to fix it."

He laughed and leaned his head back against the back of the couch, baring his throat. "I just thought I crossed some line you didn't want me to."

I shook my head and leaned down, placing kisses along his chiseled jaw, loving how his stubble felt. I moved down his neck, continuing to kiss him all over when there was a knock on the door.

We froze.

"Hey guys, listen, as much as we love sitting out here and listening to you two make up, can we maybe save the sex until later? We're hungry and want to go get food and it's already almost 5:30." It was Max, and my face turned bright red when I realized she had heard everything happening in here.

"We?" I whispered to Chris, holding my bright red face in my hands as I leaned into his chest.

"I asked Sebastian to keep her company."

"Oh my God!" I said, louder than I meant to.

I heard Max and a male laughing outside the door, and figured it had to be Sebastian.

"Maybe they were already having sex," Sebastian said. "That could have been the finale."

Max laughed. "No way. She is much more expressive than that and trust me, everyone in a 100 yard radius would know when it was the finale."

My face was so hot with embarrassment now, and I ripped away from Chris before standing and going to the door. I made sure my dress was firmly back in place before I ripped the door open and glared down at my best friend.

She was grinning up at me like she had done nothing wrong. "Hey, bud. What's up?"

"I hate you."

She laughed at me and stood up from her place on the floor. "You fucking LOVE me, dude. I'm your best friend. You have to love me."

I rolled my eyes, feeling Chris walk up behind me. "You're fucking lucky I love you."

She blew an air kiss at me, and then I looked over at Sebastian, giving him a small wave. "Hi. I'm Evie."

He actually pulled me in for a hug. "I feel like I know you already because of how much this idiot hasn't shut up about you the past few days," he said, shoving Chris's shoulder. Sebastian looked back at me. "And you can call me Seb if you want. It's easier."

I nodded at him and looked back at Max who had taken her hat off and was picking at her pointed ears, trying to get them off. I knew from experience that she definitely needed more than just her finger nails to get those off. "You said something about food?"

She nodded at me. "Yeah so like listen... Seb and I were talking and we thought it might be fun if the 4 of us ditched this place together and got food. But then like we run into the problem of them being famous so that may be hard. Plus, I super want to get out of this costume, and I know you well enough to know you are ready to get out of that dress and get the taped bra off your tits. So how about we just take them back to our place and order take out?"

"Taped bra? What?" I heard Chris mutter behind me.

I turned to him and shook my head. "Don't ask."

He grinned. "Okay."

"What do you think of that plan?" I asked him. "If we leave now, we may be able to get the next train and get back to our apartment before 7:30."

He shook his head. "That plan is fine, but we have a driver who can take all of us there."

"Oh, a driver! Sweet! It won't take us long to get back at all," Max said.

And so it was decided that we would go back to our apartment. This was a little surreal that we were going to have 2 famous dudes in our stupid little apartment with us, but whatever. Oh, God...had we cleaned at all this week? Shit.

A few minutes later, Chris and Seb had grabbed duffle bags with their cosplay costumes for tomorrow in them, along with a change of clothes, and we were ready to go. We got to go out of some secret back doors that led right to a black Cadillac Escalade with the windows all tinted. Chris and I sat in the middle row of seats, and Seb and Max sat in the back row. I gave the driver my address and off we went.

The ride to our apartment, which took less time than I thought since traffic was pretty light right now, was pleasant and we all chatted about different cosplays we'd seen today.

It was only a little bit past 6:30 when the car pulled in front of my grandmother's house. Thankfully, she wasn't home and I knew she was probably at Bingo night with her friends. If she had seen us come home this early from Comic Con, she would have definitely come out to investigate, and I definitely didn't want her to see us bringing 2 random guys up to our apartment.

The driver left with a promise to be back here at 7:30 am sharp for us in the morning, and we made our way into my grandma's house, going through the private entrance that led to a stairwell which took us to our apartment. We had called our local chinese food place about 10 minutes ago with our giant food order, and knew we had about 10 minutes until they'd be here with the food since it was right around the corner.

We got into the apartment, and I let out a big sigh of relief that our place was relatively clean. We had a sort of cluttered apartment, but only because we had so many books and collectibles that there kind of wasn't space for much else. But it was cute and it was ours.

We had a spacious living room, a small kitchen, and there were 2 bedrooms on either side of the apartment. One was a master bedroom with a master bath, which Max had let me take since this was my grandmother's house. Max still had a decent sized room and she used the other bathroom which was next to her room on the right hand side.

The guys looked around our apartment, studying the collectibles we had as well as our books, talking quietly to each other.

Max turned to me. "I gotta go get this shit off. I can't stand it anymore. I'm going to go shower and change. If the food gets here before I'm done, just eat without me."

I nodded and watched as she went into her room to get a change of clothes before she disappeared into the bathroom. I turned to watch the guys and found that Chris was staring at me with a small smile.

I smiled back at him and walked over to kiss him on the cheek. "I will be right back. I just need to go change out of this dress. Listen for the bell for food for me?" He nodded and I felt his eyes watch my back as I went into my room and closed the door.

I leaned against the closed door and locked it, suddenly feeling really overwhelmed by the strange turn of events. I felt like someone had slid the rug out from under me and like I was still trying to get back to my feet.

This was going to take some getting used to. How did one go about dating a famous person? Would the internet hate me once they found out we were dating? How did we go out in public together? How could I tell other friends (yeah right...like I had other friends besides Max) or family members or coworkers that I was dating a celebrity? They would probably think I was nuts.

I let a soft sigh escape my lips and pushed away from the door. I carefully stripped the dress off and hung it back on its hanger in the closet. I took off my sandals and all of the jewelry, and very carefully peeled the stick-on bra off. It was painful, and I knew I had sticky residue on my skin that would only come off from scrubbing with a washcloth in the shower, but I would shower after we ate. Thankfully, I had thought ahead and had put small pieces of gauze over my nipples so the glue wouldn't peel them off when I took the bra off. I was glad I had done it for sure.

I changed into a pair of really cute black, lacy underwear that were a cheeky style that would show off my butt nicely. I then carefully started unpinning my hair and taking the braids out, leaving my hair soft and curly. I ran my hands through it a few times until I was satisfied with it, and was debating what else to put on when I heard the bell.

"Fuck," I cursed, just grabbing a very loose fitting shirt and a pair of shorts and quickly throwing them on. I slid on a pair of flip flops and ran out of my room, trying to beat one of the boys to the door. I knew if I didn't get there first, they'd try to pay for the food.

I grabbed my wallet quickly and nearly knocked Seb over when I shoved him aside to get down the steps. "No way. I'm paying."

I was out the door before either could argue and nearly fell down the stairs with the effort. I answered the door and paid the delivery man for the food and gave him a nice tip, and was careful not to trip going back up the stairs with all of the food.

Chris was standing at the top of the stairs nearly glaring at me. "We wanted to pay."

I shook my head at him and brushed against his body as I moved past him to get back into the apartment. "Nope. Don't even try. You guys had a car take us home. You know how much time, money and aggravation that saved us?"

I handed the food to Seb for him to take out of the bags, and I moved to the kitchen to grab paper plates, napkins and utensils. I was reaching for the plates, going on tip toe a bit to get them from the cabinet, when a body pressed against me from behind and got them for me. I turned and smacked into Chris's body, and I was suddenly trapped between him and my counter.

"Did you happen to realize how short your shorts get when you go on tiptoe?" he asked, his voice growly and low, his eyes filled with a hunger that had nothing to do with food.

I blushed, and looked down to see I had accidentally grabbed my very short shorts that I usually wore to bed when it was warm out. My shorts were purple and the t-shirt I had put on was black and very loose, but I realized you could easily tell I didn't have a bra on under that shirt. Chris was looking down at my chest too. I eased out from between him and the cabinets, taking the plates from him and squeezing his hand. "I didn't mean to grab these clothes," I muttered before walking back to the table.

Seb had set all of the food out, and I quickly put 4 plates at the 4 seats of our small table and dumped the silverware in the middle.

Chris was looking in my fridge at the drinks. "Beer or soda?"

"Beer," Seb and I answered at the same time.

"What about Max?"

"Max will have beer too."

She didn't like beer, but I knew the only beer we had in there was Angry Orchard and I knew she at least enjoyed that.

Chris brought 4 Angry Orchards to the table and opened his and opened mine for me as well.

"Thanks," I said, grabbing it from him and taking a long swig out of the bottle.

We sat down and grabbed whatever food we had ordered and started eating. We were all starving so we didn't talk much while we ate.

A few minutes later, Max came out of the bathroom, and I stopped a laugh from coming out of my mouth when Seb's mouth suddenly dropped open and the rest of his cheese wonton fell from his mouth since he'd been about to chew it.

Max tended to have that effect on men. She was one of the prettiest women I knew. She had straight red hair (that she dyed but her natural color was strawberry blonde) down to her shoulders, had strikingly beautiful green eyes, and had a body I would literally kill for. She was 5'11, and though she was curvy, it was more muscle than anything else. She didn't wear glasses like me, lucky bitch, and she also didn't necessarily need to wear a bra like I did. She was also stupidly aware of the effect she had on men. She had come out of the bathroom in a tight, ribbed, teal tank top (with no bra) and a pair of short black shorts that showed off her long, muscular legs. She didn't even bother with any shoes.

Max had several tattoos, not as many as me, but she did have some big pieces, like the mermaid on her thigh, and her tattoos were showcased very well in her outfit. She had taken off her wig and all of the make-up as well as her pointed ears. She sat down and stuck her tongue out at me, deciding to ignore the fact that Sebastian was outright staring at her as she started to eat her food.

Chris must have kicked Seb under the table because Seb cursed suddenly and turned to glare at Chris before his face turned a little red.

"Max, you look really different out of cosplay," Seb said, and I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of my lips. I quickly covered it with a cough and turned to see Chris grinning at me and shaking his head. Seb was glaring at both of us before Max started talking and he turned toward her with an enraptured look on his face.

"Durr. You didn't think I really had pointy ears and white blonde hair did you?"

Seb blushed a brighter shade of red. "Well, no..."

I grinned at Chris, and he grinned back. It was going to be so much fun watching Max make Seb blush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked it! Leave me some comments and kudos...it will make me post the sexy chapter faster!
> 
> Love you all. Thanks for the continued support!


	7. Chapter 7: "I need another shower."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it!! Evie and Chris FINALLY get some alone time...
> 
> WARNING: This chapter is basically all smut.
> 
> ...I'm not even sorry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: SMUT AHEAD!
> 
> Don't say I didn't warn you...

We had finished eating and had cleaned up. It was still kind of early, only a little after 8, but I decided to leave Max and Seb to their own devices and took Chris to my room.

"Have fun, you two," Max taunted.

I flipped her off, and she laughed as I shut my door.

Chris was looking around my room, and I was glad I usually kept my room pretty clean. I did have some dirty clothes on the floor that I quickly picked up and put in the hamper while he kept looking around. He immediately went over to my dresser where I had placed the 2nd and 3rd Harry Potter books. They were very well loved and worn out, but they were extra copies I had laying around since I had bought myself a whole set of hardback ones.

"Were you going to bring these for me?"

I nodded at him. "I had hoped you would be starting the 1st one tonight and telling me you loved it, so I was going to bring you the 2nd and 3rd ones tomorrow."

"Which one is your favorite?" he asked, walking over to my bookshelf to admire my hardback copies as well as the special Hufflepuff house copies and illustrated copies of the series. The entire bookcase right next to my dresser, which went from floor to ceiling, was completely filled up with all kinds of Harry Potter books and also memorabilia and pop figurines.

"The 3rd book is my favorite. Harry meets two very important men in that book, two men whose characters I instantly fell in love with. I don't want to spoil it for you."

"I saw some of the movies, remember?"

"Yeah but which ones?"

"Um...the one where he finds out he is a wizard and the one where there's a weird lady in pink and then the one where Harry dies."

I rolled my eyes and walked over to him. "So the 1st, 5th, and 8th movies."

"Wait, 8 movies? I thought there were only 7 books."

"They split the last book into 2 movies."

He nodded and continued looking around my room, taking in all of the nerdy stuff I had and the craft corner. "This room is really you."

I watched him touch a picture of Max and me in college that I had taped to my mirror.

"Listen, I really need to go shower. I have glue in weird places and I need to scrub it off."

He turned toward me, his eyebrow raised. "Is this something to do with the taped on bra?"

I laughed. "Yes. My boobs are big enough that I need to always wear a bra. You saw my dress today...I couldn't go without. A bra is really hard to sew into a dress, but I found this one that is literally just bra cups and has no back to it. It literally just sticks on."

He winced. "But what about...?" He left his question hanging in the air.

"My nipples?" I asked, laughing a little. He nodded. "I put small pieces of gauze there so the sticky stuff wouldn't get on them."

Chris was looking at me intently. "So...this sticky stuff. You going to need help scrubbing it off?" He was blushing a little bit again.

A slow smile spread across my face, and I walked toward him, the type of walk that swayed my hips and promised sex.

"You offering?" I asked, my voice breathy as I slid a hand up his chest.

"Oh, yeah. I also wouldn't mind a shower. That costume gets really hot."

I threw my head back and laughed. "So...let's save some water. Is that it?"

His hand titled my face toward his. "And maybe some other reasons."

"Mmm," was all I managed to get out before his lips were on mine.

The kiss promised sex and so much more. I was gasping into his mouth, both of my hands grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, starting to tug it upward.

Chris let me break the kiss to push the shirt up and over his head, and he flung it off his arms before kissing me again. He shocked me by suddenly cupping my butt in his hands and picking me up off the ground. No man had ever picked me up in his arms before.

I wrapped my legs around his body, my arms going around his neck so my hands could tug on his hair. He started stumbling for the bathroom, and I gripped those big, muscular shoulders in my hands, digging my fingernails into his flesh. We made it to the bathroom and he shut the door, leaning my back against it as he fumbled for the light switch. I helped him find the switch and gently bit down on his full lower lip, making him moan.

He pulled away from me, his breathing heavy as he leaned his forehead against mine. "We have to stop if we want to shower."

As much as I hated to admit it...I knew he was right. I sighed heavily. "I know."

There was a smile on his lips as he gently put me back on my feet. I had kicked off the flip flops when we had first gone in my room, so I padded barefoot on the cold tile to my shower. It was one of those roomy walk-in showers that was surrounded by glass. I turned the water on and brought 2 towels out of the small closet for us and 2 washcloths as well.

Chris was slipping his shoes and socks off, and I felt my pulse speed up in my throat when his hands went to his pants, unbuttoning them before pushing them to the floor. He was standing in front of me in just a pair of black boxer briefs, and I felt like I would swallow my tongue.

This man was beautiful. Every single inch of him was pure muscle, not an ounce of fat on his body, and I could see a few tattoos on his arms and torso. He wasn't overly hairy, but he still had some hair on his chest, and a small trail that led down to his...

I swallowed hard and tried really hard to look in his eyes, and failed miserably. I bit my lip, suddenly feeling shy and turned my back to him, slipping the t-shirt up and over my head before I could think too hard about what I was doing. I slid the shorts down next followed by the black lacy underwear.

I was starting to lose my nerve. The butterflies that were flying around my stomach when he had kissed me before had now suddenly turned into a stampede of elephants, and my hands were starting to shake when I grabbed the washcloths and opened the shower door.

The water was just the perfect temperature, and the room was getting a little steamy...in more ways than one. I laid the washcloths on the small shelf with my shower supplies on them, and I ducked under the spray of water, feeling my heart pound in my chest.

What was I doing? What the actual fuck was I doing? This was insane. This was completely fucking mental. I couldn't do this. I could not fucking do this. This was Chris fucking Evans. How was I supposed to-

"Stop thinking so hard," he murmured behind me. I heard the shower door shut and turned in the water to look at him.

God, he was so fucking beautiful. Literally perfect. I let myself look at the rest of him, starting from his feet and going up those long legs. I bit my lip, feeling my pulse speed back up when my eyes met his cock. Again, he had just enough hair there too but not too much, and he was thick and long and hard. I met his eyes, and what I saw there stole the breath right from me.

He wanted me. He actually wanted me. It was there on his face, in his eyes. Seeing him hard for me was further proof, and I felt my face blushing yet again.

"My brain just won't shut off," I explained as he pressed himself against me, letting the warm spray of the shower hit his hard body.

I couldn't help myself. My hands started to wander his body, as if trying to memorize every muscle, every tattoo, every mark and freckle on him.

Chris had better restraint than me. He reached for a washcloth and poured some of my soap on to it. His eyes stared into mine as he pulled me from the spray of the water, and he started washing me gently. He crouched to start at my feet and slowly worked his way up. He washed every inch of me and stood back up when he was done.

I took the cloth from him and scrubbed at the glue still left on my breasts. It hurt, but after a few minutes I think I had gotten it all off. I let the water flow over my body again, and watched as Chris started to wash himself, but I stopped him. I took the washcloth from his hands and washed him like he had done to me, lingering on his hardened cock, letting my hand stroke the soap over the whole length of him.

His eyes fluttered shut, his body arching in pleasure as I stroked him over and over. "Evie." He moaned my name softly, and I gave him a few more strokes before easing up. He still had to wash the soap off his body, and we were starting to get carried away in here and wasting a lot of water.

Chris opened his eyes and looked at me as I pushed him under the spray. I grabbed my shampoo and scrubbed it into my hair, before pouring some into Chris's outstretched hand. He washed his hair quickly and rinsed, and then let me rinse mine. I put conditioner in, and quickly rinsed that out too. I washed my face and turned toward the spray, my back to Chris as I washed that off and just enjoyed the water for a moment.

He pressed his body against the back of mine, his hands reaching around my body to cup my breasts in his hands. I leaned my head back against his shoulder, letting him tug at my breasts, his fingers expertly teasing my nipples.

I moaned softly, my body arching into his hands. I felt his hard cock pressing against my back, and had the thought once again that this shower was getting very long. I reached forward and turned the water off, letting him kiss at my neck and shoulders. He gripped his cock and moved it between my legs. He didn't enter me, but he slid himself against the most intimate parts of me and I gasped, standing on tip toe and moving my hips to help slide over him.

I was drowning again. Drowning in pleasure, but one thought brought me back to the surface.

"Not here," I pleaded, my breath coming out in pants. "Need condom." I was proud of myself for not letting the pleasure make me forget about protection.

"Damn. I'm sorry, Evie. I'm losing control of myself." Chris pulled away from me and opened the shower door, grabbing both of our towels off the floor and handing me mine.

We quickly dried off and got out. I walked over to my sink and combed through my wet hair before wringing it out with an old t-shirt. I got out a new spare toothbrush for him and placed it on the sink before brushing my own teeth, holding the towel tight against my chest while I did so.

He brushed his teeth too and then I shooed him out of the bathroom since I needed to use it desperately. When I was done with my business and was sure I was ready, I grabbed a condom out of one of my drawers under the sink and clasped it in my hand.

When I went back out into the room, Chris went back into the bathroom to use it. I put my clothes into the hamper, and placed the condom on the bedside table. Chris came back with no towel, and I swallowed hard.

"Want me to hang yours up?" he asked, his voice light as if he didn't want to make me run from the room screaming. I nodded and threw mine to him from where I stood. He went back in the bathroom for a moment only to appear seconds later.

I felt so utterly exposed and vulnerable all of a sudden, and I was about to get into my bed and get under my blankets but Chris stopped me. He came across the room so fast I barely saw the movement, and he sat himself on my bed, pulling me over to him.

He kissed my stomach gently before moving up to my breasts, his stubble rubbing against me and it was that edge between being pleasurable and ticklish. "Stop thinking too much," he muttered and pulled me on to the bed with him.

We moved so we were laying on the pillows, and I was suddenly glad I had a queen sized bed. If it were any smaller his feet would have been hanging off the edge of it.

I rolled to my side, wanting to be above him a little since he was flat on his back. I kissed him and ran my hands over his body, grasping his still hard cock in my hands and stroking him.

He grabbed my wrist and stopped me. "Don't. I want this to last, and if you keep doing that, I'm not going to."

I smirked at him. "Been awhile?"

He mock glared at me and flipped me over so he was on top. "Yeah. But you don't have to remind me."

I laughed but then moaned as his lips suddenly sucked my nipple into his mouth, his teeth grazing it and then biting it, making me cry out loudly into the room. My hands gripped his shoulders tight, nails digging in.

One of his hands moved down my body, going between my thighs. I was glad I had just recently groomed there. I didn't like to shave it all, but I kept it mostly groomed and short in a small patch.

He moaned against my breast when his finger teased my opening, feeling how wet I was for him. I let my head fall back against the pillow, arching my body into his touches as he slid one finger slowly into me. He switched breasts and slid a second finger in me, pumping them in and out of my body.

My body was on fire. I was moaning loudly and couldn't help it, and then his thumb was suddenly pressing against my clit, and I almost shot off the bed. He held me down and slid his fingers out of me, using the wetness of my body to rub my clit fast and then faster.

The orgasm slammed into me before I was ready and even knew what was happening, and I raked my nails up his back as my body rocked on the bed.

He brought me down from it with soft caresses down my body and gentle kisses at my throat.

I couldn't move for a second, but then opened my eyes to find him licking and sucking at the fingers that had just been inside of my body. The sight brought small shockwaves of the orgasm back to me, and I was arching my back again and gripping his forearm hard until it subsided.

He nuzzled my face with his stubbled chin, kissing me thoroughly before moving his mouth down my body. I felt that stubble go down my body and between my legs. He moved my body so that my legs opened wide for him, my knees bending over his arms and his hands cupped my hips. He kissed me down there as expertly as he kissed my mouth.

My body was responding to him in a way it had never responded to another man. I had always hated when men did this, feeling uncomfortable enough with myself that I always froze up when they went down on me. But not Chris. Chris was bringing primal sounds from me that not even I had heard before, and I was shocked when another orgasm was suddenly going to break over me. I tugged hard on his hair, pulling his head away from me.

"Chris, please," I begged.

A smirk crossed his face as he rubbed his stubbled chin against my most intimate parts. It almost hurt, but it was just at that line where pleasure and pain got muddled together.

"Fuck," I cursed, pulling his hair harder.

A low moan left his lips, and he started crawling up my body. He reached over to the nightstand, grabbing the condom off of there. "Next time, I'm going to explore more of you, but I need to be inside you right now."

"Please," I whimpered, watching him open the condom and roll it over himself.

He opened my legs and held himself above me with his left arm, and I watched the muscles in his body tighten with the effort. With his right hand, he guided his sheathed cock to my dripping pussy. He pushed slowly inside of me, and I moaned loudly. I watched every inch of him disappear inside of me, and knew he was working to push past the tightness of my body.

It had been about 6 months since I had last slept with someone, and though I used toys on myself in the meantime, none of them were as big as Chris.

His jaw was tight with tension, and I could see his adam's apple bobbing up and down and sweat start to bead on his forehead. The sight of him entering me was nearly enough to throw me into another orgasm, but I held off. My body arched into him, and I bent my knees and planted my feet on the bed to help give my hips leverage to push against him.

"Fuck!" he cursed when that one push of my hips helped seat him fully inside of me.

I held my breath for a moment and froze, letting my body adjust to his. I could see that his breathing had quickened, and his left arm was shaking with the exertion of holding all of his weight so carefully above me. My pulse was racing in my throat, and I started to feel beads of sweat forming on my own body.

He started to pull out of me, and I pushed at his shoulders. "Sit against the headboard," I told him.

Chris didn't even argue with me. When he was free from my body he moved the pillows to help prop himself comfortably against the headboard, his legs straight out in front of him. I straddled him then, and used my hand to guide myself down onto him.

I eased myself slowly down on him, and his hands gripped my hips, fingers digging into the flesh of my ass as he fought not to slam my body down onto him. I steadied myself with my hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

This is why I had wanted to do this. I wanted to be able to look him in the eye, to have that connection. His eyes were wide, and I leaned forward to kiss him with the barest brush of lips.

And then I rode him. I rode him with a steady but slow rhythm at first, but then started going faster and faster. Both of us were moaning loudly, and I could hear our bodies smacking together with the force we were using now. I arched my back, hanging my head back so I broke contact with his eyes. His hand grabbed my hair, tugging on the strands hard as he bit at my breasts.

It was all too much. My body was on fire, and I was drowning in all of the pleasure. I had never felt like this before. No one had ever made me feel like this, and I realized what I had truly been missing out on, how good sex could be between two people with this kind of connection.

The orgasm was building, and this time I couldn't stop it. My fingers were scratching up his arms, chest and shoulders. I leaned my hands behind me on his shins, giving me leverage and something else to hold on to. His eyes were on mine when 2 things simultaneously happened at once. The new position had opened me up even more to him than I even knew was possible, and when his hands slammed my hips against his, he hit a spot inside of me that set me off like New Year's Eve fireworks in New York City.

I was definitely screaming now. The orgasm that had slammed into me was the strongest I had ever had, and it felt like my body was going to implode. One of his fingers was teasing my clit, drawing out the orgasm as he continuously stroked that spot inside of me. It was almost too much. The pleasure was blinding, and I swear I was seeing stars on the edge of my vision and about to beg him to stop when he moaned and cursed loudly himself and I knew he had finished as well.

My body fell down on his legs, my breathing so out of control that I thought my heart was going to burst right from my chest. Chris was breathing hard too, but he pulled my body toward him and cradled me against his chest, letting me hear how out of control his heartbeat was as well.

We stayed that way, with Chris holding me and anchoring me to this world as we both came down from the intense pleasure. One of his hands was softly stroking my hair and his lips were pressed against my head.

"Fuck, Evie, you are so beautiful," he was whispering in my ear. "That was beautiful watching you on top of me."

His words and the mental image brought a small aftershock of an orgasm through me, my body tightening over his and making him choke on air. His hands tightened on my body the way my pussy was tightening over his cock. The aftershock ended, and Chris cursed again and quickly pulled himself out of me. The feeling was enough to make another small aftershock hit me, and I bit my teeth into his shoulder. This one was quicker than the last, and I stayed in his arms as he continued to run a hand through my hair and down my back.

We stayed that way for several more minutes until I was finally able to push back up into a kneeling position above him. I sat back on his thighs, seeing him watch me carefully.

A grin worked its way on to my face, which seemed to ease some tension in him because he smiled right back at me.

"I need another shower," I said.

He laughed, that beautiful contagious laugh of his, his hands touching his chest as he threw his head back.

God, he was so beautiful when he laughed.

I could get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did I do? It's been AWHILE since I wrote a scene like that so I hope it's okay! Please guys PLEASE let me know what you think of it!
> 
> Kudos and comments welcome as always!


	8. Chapter 8: No Good at Goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the last day at Comic Con and it's kids' day. Evie and Chris spend the last day of the con walking around and spending time together and keep getting stopped by kids for pictures. But Evie is so unsure of what lies ahead. What's going to happen with their relationship when the con is truly over?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone. Is everyone doing okay? It's crazy out here, and I just want to tell you that if you need to vent...feel free to inbox me. These are such unsure times, but we all have to be there for each other.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's not very long and doesn't have much in there, but I had to wrap up the con somehow.
> 
> I had actually originally only intended for this to be a short story and only last through the entirety of the 4 days of the con, but then...as these things go, the plot took off and really wouldn't leave me. I knew I couldn't leave this story behind, and I feel I have truly written something great.
> 
> I hope you guys continue to enjoy it!

We had showered again and slept naked together in my bed. I had never actually slept naked with another person, always choosing to put my clothes back on once the sex was finished. But there was something about Chris that was making me break all of my rules.

Every single one of them.

It was exhilarating, but it was also scary as all hell.

***

We woke up early the next morning to get ready, and I had decided to cosplay as Belle today since she was my favorite Disney princess. I went for the blue dress/village Belle look. I had made the outfit out of a white button up, a long white underskirt, a sleeveless blue dress that went over the white shirt and skirt, and a white apron. I found this stuff while going through thrift stores. I left my hair curly and wavy, but put it up in a high ponytail. White flats and some light make-up completed the outfit along with a small backpack for mine and Max's essential things. We tried not to bring too much stuff the last day of comic con since it was usually a shorter day than the others.

Max was dressed as Crowley from Good Omens, wearing dark jeans, dark shirt, vest, jacket, scarf, belt and boots just the same as his character. She curled her long red hair, put on very little make-up, and added the serpent like contacts just like he had in the show. She even had the same sunglasses he wore on top of her head. She even had the same serpent tattoo that Crowley had on his face, but hers was behind her ear. She was going to get a photo op and autograph with David Tennant today, and I knew she was beyond excited that he would get to see her in the awesome cosplay. I wasn't sure how she had put the outfit together, but it was literally the same thing he wore in the show.

The guys were dressed as, surprise surprise, Captain America and Winter Soldier. This was almost too obvious, but since no one had called the bluff on Chris yet, we were hoping this would work. Neither of them had to make any appearances today or do autographs or anything so they were going to be able to spend the whole day with us.

Once Chris had the costume back on, I was once again struck by my stupidity at not realizing it was him. Something must have shown on my face because he crossed the living room to me and grasped my hand in his. "I really am sorry that I wasn't completely honest with you from the get go."

I nodded and kissed his lips gently. I wasn't mad anymore, and I needed him to know that. "It's okay. I knew in my gut something was off, but I just didn't know what. I didn't want to push you. I thought maybe you weren't taking the cowl off because of some gnarly scar."

Sebastian and Max laughed behind us. "You guys are cute," Max stated, "but now I can't help but think people are really going to be scrutinizing every Captain America they see. Plus, we've got to do something about him," she gestured back toward Seb with her thumb. I looked at Seb then, and he looked so much like himself that it was utterly ridiculous.

"Do you have a wig for him? His hair is too short," I said.

Max went into her room for a few minutes and came back a few minutes later with a few things in her arms. She helped Seb put a wig on his head, and it was so obviously a wig that it helped a little bit. She tugged his regular black mask off his face and replaced it with a big black bandanna that covered him from nose to chin.

"Can you breathe okay?" she asked him, and he nodded, his eyes gazing into hers from only inches away. She stroked the wig hair back from his face, and the gesture was so tender that I wondered if the two of them had hooked up last night too, or if Seb had slept on the couch. I wasn't going to ask though...yet.

Max took face paint out from her cosplay kit and started covering his eyes and the bridge of his nose with black, going for a more menacing look of Winter Soldier. She ripped off the sleeve of his left arm since he didn't have a 'fake' arm at his disposal. She quickly painted his whole arm and hand in silver paint and then covered all of the paint on him in setting spray.

I nodded when she was finished and looked at the clock. "That looks much better and looks much less like Seb. We only have 10 minutes until the driver gets here. What can we do for Chris?" I asked her, and the two of us turned as one to look at him.

"I don't think there's anything else we can do unless we add some blue paint around his eyes." She went toward him with blue paint and traced along the edges of the cowl around his eyes. "Don't worry, it will wash off of you and the cowl easily."

Once she was done, the driver honked the horn outside, and we quickly left the apartment and got in the car and left.

***

The day was going well. No one was running around screaming that Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan were at comic con, so I think we were safe. We had split up, Seb going with Max and Chris sticking with me. We all had different things we wanted to do. 

Today I was getting a photo op with Luke Evans, which worked perfectly for the Belle cosplay. He was hilarious and posed with me in true Gaston fashion. Chris and I sat in on a panel about Doctor Who, and it was after lunch that we decided to go up to the show floor and walk around again.

We were holding hands, and walking through the aisles slowly, trying to see if there was anything we wanted to buy. People were asking for pictures again, particularly the younger girls with me. Sundays were always reserved for being a kids' day at Comic Con, and there were a ton more kids here today than there had been any other day.

A group of young girls dressed as Disney princesses, their parents in tow, approached me when we were close to the bathrooms by the escalators.

"Mommy, look! It's Belle!" I suddenly had 5 girls shrieking and coming up to me, saying hello and introducing themselves, as if they really thought I WAS Belle. It was completely adorable.

"Hi!" I said, dropping down to the floor on my knees and smoothing my skirt around me so I could be on their level. "Oh, there are so many pretty princesses here!" The parents, two sets of them, were standing behind their kids with strained looks on their faces, as if not sure their girls should be bothering me. I waved the parents off, a bright smile on my face and watched the tension leave their bodies. Chris moved to stand near them, and the 2 dads started talking to him while the mothers kept watch over the girls. "Have you seen a lot of other princesses here today?"

"YES!" they shrieked, all trying to talk at once.

"I saw Sleeping Beauty!"

"I saw Elsa and Anna!"

"I saw Pocahontas!"

"I saw Moana AND Mulan!"

The fifth little girl, one who was younger than the rest...was probably about 4. The other girls were somewhere between 5 and 7. The tiniest one was dressed in a yellow Belle dress, and she had the cutest little voice when she said, "I saw another Belle, but she wasn't as pretty as you are and she wasn't very nice."

Now I knew the reason behind the parents' hesitation. Some cosplayers were not nice enough to take pictures with the kids and talk to them. I hated that. I also loved that this beautiful tiny human told me I was pretty, and I actually felt my eyes water a little bit, but fought it back. "Thank you! You're very pretty too." She hugged me then, launching herself into my arms and hugging tight around my neck. I hugged her back, and then the girls were begging their parents to take pictures of us, which they took lots of.

I must have spent over 45 minutes talking to these little girls, and then they were moving on with promises to try and find me next year on kids day. I told them I would look forward to it.

When they left, Chris turned to me, and I couldn't read the emotion in his eyes. "You're brilliant with kids."

"I've been around kids forever, and I've always loved them." We started walking through another aisle, our hands clasped together. "I thought I wanted to be a teacher at first, but then my love of libraries took over. I do a lot of story times at my job, and a lot of events. We have princess days a lot, and I can't even tell you how many times I've gone to my job dressed in cosplay."

"All the kids must love you," he said.

I grinned. "Well, the girls do. The boys more love...Captain America, for example."

As if on cue, a group of young boys approached him and asked for pictures.

I watched as he spoke with the boys, finding out who their favorite superheroes were and what their names were with a smile on my face.

"He's great with kids," one mom said, moving to stand next to me.

"Yeah he is," I said, looking over at her.

She smiled politely at me. "He'll make a great dad one day." And with those parting words, she walked away from me to round up her 4 boys and get them to leave 'the nice Captain America alone with his pretty girlfriend'.

Chris was laughing when he came back to me. "I love kids too," he said.

"I see that," I said, squeezing his hand in mine before we continued to shop.

***

The day was coming to an end, and I was dreading it. I wasn't sure where things would go from here. This had been the best weekend I had ever had, and I didn't know what would happen to Chris and I when it was over.

The announcements went over the intercoms that the show floor would be closing in 10 minutes, and I sighed sadly.

Chris looked at me. "Hey, don't get sad. Just because comic con is over, doesn't mean things are going to change between us."

I turned to him as we got on the escalator to go down to the main level. "I...where do you even live? How are we going to make this work?" I asked.

He frowned at me. "I have a place in L.A., and a place in Boston."

"L.A.?!"

He frowned harder, but waited a minute to say anything else until we could get outside of the doors. He pulled me off to the side away from the crowd of people so we could wait for Max and Seb to meet us. "Look, I'm hardly ever in L.A. I stay mostly in Boston because it's closer to my family, and when I can't be home my parents watch my dog Dodger for me. Boston isn't far from New York. I'm in New York a lot for auditions. I'm trying to get more in the realm of Broadway."

I nodded, but couldn't help the feelings of doubt from creeping into my mood. "Boston isn't that far," I agreed, but even I could tell that I didn't sound hopeful.

Chris grabbed me by the shoulders so I would face him, and he tipped my chin upward so I would look him straight in the eye. "Look, I'm not saying this is going to be easy. It's not. It's going to be hard, and it's going to be work. But let's just take it one day at a time. I'm off next weekend, and I can come down and see you."

I wasn't sure if this would ever work between us. There were so many variables to think of, and so many obstacles, but I had to remind myself that we had only known each other for 4 days, and that we did have to take it one step of a time, regardless of how deep my feelings felt for him after only 4 days. If it's meant to be, it'll be. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes to try and center myself for a minute. When I opened my eyes to look at him again, there was worry in his eyes. "Okay," I said.

"Okay."

"One day at a time?"

"One day at a time, one step at a time."

I went on tip toe and kissed him gently. He pulled my body against his, and I was instantly reminded of how that body felt naked beneath me. The connection we had...physically, mentally, emotionally. I couldn't ignore that. I could not ignore how he made me feel. I had to let go of my insecurities and fears, and just see what would happen. I would be stupid if I didn't even try to keep this.

Seb and Max found us then, and there was a bright smile on Max's face. "This was the best con yet!" she said, bumping her hip into Seb's. He laughed and bumped her back.

There was a smirk on my face. "You guys had fun, did you?" I asked, and couldn't keep the mischievous tone out of my voice.

Max, in true Max fashion, laughed and flipped me off. "Fuck you. We know you had fun too. I mean for God sake we heard you go at it for hours last night."

My jaw dropped and I kicked her shin, making me yelp and grab her leg. She jumped up and down for a few seconds. "You really have to be so crass?"

"Damn, dude, you really gotta be such a bitch?"

"Yes!" I said, blowing her a kiss.

"Are you sure you two are really best friends? I've heard you call each other bitch, whore, and worse things, watched you flip each other off and now violence between you. What the fuck?" Seb asked.

Max and I laughed then, and in true best friend fashion we said, simultaneously, "It's how we show our love for one another."

I could nearly feel Chris rolling his eyes behind me. "Wow."

Seb looked at him then. "This is your fault. You picked out a girl with a crazy best friend."

"Mmm...you're right. If only I had known sooner..."

"Hey!" I said, whirling around to smack Chris on the chest.

We all laughed and started walking out of the venue and back toward the street. "Seb and I actually have to get back to our hotel. We've got to get ready to go tape an episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon."

We stopped walking. "Oh...well then that's okay. Go do what you have to do and Max and I can walk to the train station by ourselves. I can get my grandma to pick us up when we get off the train or we can get an uber."

"We can even walk. The train station is less than a mile from our apartment," Max added.

"Yeah. We'll be fine."

Chris shook his head. "No. We took you here, and I want to make sure you get back okay. The car can drop Seb and I off at the hotel and then take you both home." I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off. "Don't argue this. Let me spend a few more minutes in the car with you...please."

I sighed. It was the please that got me. "Fine."

We made our way around the back of the Javits Center and easily found the car and driver that had taken us there in the morning. We all got in, and off we went to the hotel.

It wasn't long before we got to the hotel, and we all got out of the car to say goodbye. Chris asked the driver to take us back home, and then came back to me on the sidewalk.

Seb and Max stood a few feet away talking quietly to each other, and I turned to Chris. "So...goodbye?" I said, and couldn't help the sinking feeling in my stomach from returning.

He shook his head and grabbed me, nearly picking me up into his arms to kiss me deeply. I kissed him back with everything I had in me. I got breathless to the point that I had to break the kiss, gasping for air as he set me back on my feet. "Not goodbye," he said. "I'll text you later and we'll make plans for next weekend, okay?" I nodded at him. "Bye, Evie," he said, kissing my forehead softly.

My hand fell away from his as he walked toward the hotel. Seb turned to me and waved, a grin on his face that made me laugh because of the black paint. Max had taken the wig and bandanna back from him, so he looked really funny in his costume now.

Max and I both got back in the car and the driver pulled away from the hotel to take us home.

"Bruh," was all Max said as she watched me look out at the window at Chris as he walked up the steps into his hotel.

"I know," I sighed.

"Aw, shit," she said then.

Yeah, that about summed it up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have been doing AWESOME with comments and kudos! Please keep it up. It's been really helping me and motivating me through all of this madness.
> 
> Everyone take care...love you all! <3


	9. Chapter 9: "Just be yourself because who you are is pretty freaking awesome"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Evie talk after the con is over, and Chris surprises Evie with a date idea for the following weekend. Evie just has to get through the week and then she can see Chris again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapter summary for this one is HORRIBLE and I apologize profusely. I hope you're all well out there! Things have been hard for me this week. I have 4 family members who have the virus now so this is just...getting very very stressful. I wanted to post this yesterday, but just couldn't. I promise to post another chapter sometime this weekend.

That night after we got back and had cleaned up, Max and I were sitting on the couch and watching Good Omens over again.

"David Tennant was really nice," she said.

I looked over at her. "He was. I met him too and got him to autograph a picture from Doctor Who that had Billie Piper in it. I had gotten her autograph a few years back, but really wanted his too. The panel was really good. I wish you would have been able to see it."

"Me too." She laid herself down and stuck her feet on my lap. "He liked my Crowley cosplay a lot."

"Mmm," I said, looking over at my phone again.

Max brought her foot down on my leg, hitting my thigh with her heel. "You've got it BAD." She snickered at me, and I realized she was tipsy. It was pushing 10 at night, and we both had work tomorrow, but she had insisted on bringing out the boxed wine.

I laughed at her and poked her shin. "Ughh you're right."

"He's really nice. And sweet. And cute. You guys are like...perfect together. He makes you smile, so like that's a-okay with me in my book."

I was about to say something when my phone went off, loudly, from the kitchen where I had it plugged in. I shrieked and pushed Max's legs away from me in my rush to get up, and she wound up rolling off the couch.

"OW! Damn it, Evie!" she yelled just as I answered the phone.

I heard Chris laugh from the other end. "Why is Max yelling at you?"

I was a little breathless as I answered, "Because I accidentally pushed her off the couch so I could run for my phone."

He laughed again, and I felt my heart flutter a little bit. "You were waiting anxiously for me to call, huh?"

I waited before I was locked in my room to answer him. "Yeah a little. I've kind of been driving Max crazy. 'When will Chris call?' 'What if Chris DOESN'T call?' Ya know...all the normal stuff."

"I'm sorry to call so late." It was past 11, but I didn't care. "We just got back to the hotel. What time do you have work tomorrow?"

"It's fine. I don't work until 9, and my drive to work is only 10 minutes. I can talk for a little bit and sleep in."

I could hear him close a door on his end, and heard some rustling of cloth. "I know it's only been a few hours since I saw you...but I really can't wait to see you again."

The grin on my face was so big it nearly hurt. I laid myself down on my bed, grabbing the pillow Chris had slept on and hugging it to my chest. It smelled like him, and I hoped the smell would never fade.

"I feel the same way," I told him.

"So next weekend...how about we go see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway?"

I gasped and almost dropped the phone in excitement. "What?! Seriously?!"

He chuckled at me. "Yes, seriously."

Speechless. I was absolutely speechless.

"Evie, you still there?"

"Yes," I squeaked out. "I just...Chris, I've been waiting for over a year, trying to get tickets to see that and they've always been so much money since it's in 2 parts. I've tried every single week to win the Friday Forty Lottery for it and never did... How did you...?"

"I asked Max for some date ideas when you were otherwise occupied."

"Otherwise occupied? Sneaky... So what did Max tell you exactly?"

"She said that you really loved Broadway shows, and I thought that might be perfect. She mentioned the Harry Potter play and how you've been waiting to see it."

"But, Chris, I know how expensive those tickets are-"

"Evie, don't."

A sigh escaped me. "I know how much those tickets cost you."

"No you don't."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"No way, Evie. Nice try." He was chuckling at me again.

"How am I going to repay you?"

"Remember...I'm the guy so I pay?"

I laughed. "You're old fashioned."

"Did you just say I'm old?"

I laughed harder at him. "You dummy. I did not, and you know it. I just feel bad...this is like a big thing."

He sighed, and I could hear the sarcasm in it. "If you feel obligated to repay me, I take payment in sexual favors."

Loud bursts of laughter escaped my lips, and I was nearly crying I was laughing so hard. He was laughing too, that beautiful laugh of his.

It took a few minutes for us to stop, and when I felt I could breathe properly again, I said, "I don't think that will be an issue. I specialize in sexual favors." I tried my best to make my voice sound sexy.

It must have worked because I heard a small groan from the other end of the phone. "Evie..."

I chuckled and adjusted myself in the bed so I was laying down. "Alright, alright. I won't start. But...I am really excited to see you. If you wanted...you could stay here for the weekend."

He was quiet for a second. "I didn't want to push you. I figured I'd get a hotel close by and we could just travel to the city together."

I bit my lip, feeling nervous suddenly. "Well, I mean...it's up to you. I don't think Max will care. Um...I'd like it if you stayed." There. I said it.

"I would love that. I liked your place a lot."

I laughed. "Well, don't say that just yet because there is a good chance we could run into my grandmother."

"Grandmothers love me," he said confidently.

"I'm sure they do."

We continued talking for another hour until I was so tired that my eyes were starting to droop closed and he had to call my name a few times to wake me. We said we would talk again soon, and then said our goodbyes.

I went to bed with a huge smile on my face. I couldn't wait to see him again. Only 5 more days...

***

The days flew by, and it was finally Friday. I was still at work, and while the rest of the week had gone by so fast, these last few hours had crawled at a snail's pace. I had 1 more hour until it would be 5 pm and the library closed. 1 more hour until I could go home...and Chris would come over shortly after that.

My heart was pounding in my chest, and I kept looking at my watch every 30 seconds or so, waiting for each minute to tick by.

I jumped nearly out of my skin when the other librarian on duty, Liz, suddenly appeared behind me. "Evie, what's got you so excited that you can't wait to leave?"

Liz was probably my closest friend here at work. She knew me well enough to know I was acting different all week long, but she hadn't pushed me much aside from saying I seemed a little happier and was acting different, but not in a bad way. I think she had finally figured it out. I turned to face her and noticed a small smirk on her face.

"I've got a date-"

"I knew it!" she shrieked, louder than intended, earning us a dirty look from an elderly woman looking through the romance novels. In our library, since it was so big, we broke it down by age group and then by genre. It was just so much easier that way instead of just lumping all of fiction all together.

Liz grabbed my arm and took out her keys, pulling me and my unfinished cart of books that I had been trying to shelve. Fridays were boring enough that for the last few hours of each Friday shift I would help out the circulation desk crew with putting some books away. Liz brought me into the back office, which was a big shared space for most of the staff. They had cubicles they worked at, and the 4 librarians on staff, including me, each have their own office toward the back. I pushed my cart back into the vestibule where the reshelving carts were kept, and followed Liz to her office.

"Spill," she said before sitting down in her chair. I sat in the second chair she had sitting off to the side, and bit my lip, trying to decide how much I should tell her.

"I met a guy."

"How?"

"Actually, believe it or not, at comic con last week. We spent all of Thursday, Friday, and most of Saturday together and then...he may have stayed over my apartment with his friend for the night and then we spent all day Sunday together too."

Her jaw dropped. "No way! That's great! Tell me more! How did you meet him? What's his name? What does he do?"

I laughed at her. "Jeez."

She smacked my arm and wiggled her left hand, indicating her wedding ring. "Eve, you know I live vicariously through you. You didn't tell me you hooked up with someone!"

I smiled at her. "It's like...actually more than a hookup. I think we're dating? But just taking it one day at a time. He lives in Boston so there's some distance. He's coming down here again this weekend, and he's taking me to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway."

"Shut up! You've been waiting ages to see that! How did he score tickets? They must have been majorly expensive! Is he rich? Oh my god please tell me everything!"

I got up and quickly shut her office door, not wanting anyone else to overhear. "Okay, I'll tell you, but you have to promise me you won't say anything to anyone."

Her eyes widened a little. "Of course I won't! Now spill already!!"

"He's an actor. He was in costume at comic con so I didn't know who he was at first, but he saved me from a particularly gross group of Hobbits, and we really had fun and got to know each other. I got to know the real him. He wasn't completely honest with who he really was at first, but I understand now that he just wanted someone to talk to him like a regular human being."

"Evie! Seriously?! Who is it?"

"Chris Evans...the guy who plays Captain America."

"I have boys...I know who Captain America is and who Chris Evans is... WOW!!! This is unreal!"

"I know!" I told her. "I feel so weird because like I have this secret and I want to simultaneously shout it out loud for the world to hear, but also never want anyone to find out so it doesn't get ruined."

"And he stayed at your apartment! Did you sleep with him?" I blushed and she gasped. "Oh my god!! You did! You slept with Chris Evans!"

"Shh!! No one can find out. This is so new... I really hope it works out because I really do like him a lot. But I know this is going to be really hard. There are going to be obstacles because of who he is. I'm praying I don't get bashed online."

"People are never happy when their favorite celebrity gets into a relationship. You won't be able to make everyone happy. It's impossible. You have to ignore the negative people. Just be yourself because who you are is pretty freaking awesome, Evie."

I reached over and squeezed her hand. "Thanks, Liz. You're a good friend." I looked at my watch again and groaned, I still had half an hour left.

Liz rolled her eyes. "Oh my god. Just go home! If anyone says anything, I'll just say you had a stomach ache."

I grinned. "You're the best!" I got up out of my chair and went to leave her office, but she stopped me.

"Just be careful, Evie. Make sure you can deal with the whole famous thing. Once it gets out, your life is going to drastically change. But don't let that hold you back either. Have fun, but just be on guard still."

"I know," I said with a sigh. "Thanks, Liz."

And I was out of there! I quickly grabbed my stuff and nearly sprinted from the building. No one else saw me leave, and I high-tailed it out of the parking lot. I stopped at the store on the way home and stocked up on some Mike's Hard Cranberry Lemonade wine coolers, some more Angry Orchard, and some food. I was planning on cooking dinner tonight so we didn't have to order take out. I was hoping he liked chicken and broccoli alfredo with pasta.

***

I made it home and started running around our apartment like a lunatic trying to clean every inch of it that I could.

"The apartment is already clean, Eve," Max said from the kitchen where I was making her do the 2 dishes that were in the sink and watch over the food I was cooking.

"But-"

"Evie, babe, you gotta chill. He was already here once before remember? Why are you so nervous right now?"

I shrugged at her and bit my lip, not sure I could explain it to her. "I'm not sure...but a lot can change in a week."

She could read me like a book. "Babe, his feelings for you aren't going to just change in a week. You gotta chill. It's going to be alright." She walked away from the sink, wiping her hands on the towel before hugging me.

I took a deep breath and hugged her back. "I'm just nervous. I'm hoping nothing has changed. We'll be going out together as normal people, outside of the comic con crazy. What if he gets recognized? What if we get attacked by paparazzi or something?"

She squeezed me tight for a second. "Stop thinking so hard. He's going to be here soon. Just go change into something...that's not that outfit."

"What's wrong with my outfit?!" I asked her, slightly outraged before I looked down at myself. I had changed when I had gotten home from work into a pair of black yoga pants and a red v-neck. Both were now dirty with dust stains and wet spots from sweating and cleaning like a mad-woman. "Aw, fuck." He would be here any minute!

"I got the food. Go change and I'll let him in if he gets here before you're done."

I nodded and ran to my room, quickly stripping off my clothes and standing myself in front of my fan to stop myself from sweating. I didn't have time to shower, but I took baby wipes out and quickly just cleaned myself off with them and put on deodorant. I put on a pair of purple lacy underwear with a matching bra along with a pair of black stretchy shorts and a purple flowy cold-shoulder style short sleeved shirt with a pretty skull on it. I didn't bother with shoes, but I did put my hair up into a high ponytail and just did some light make-up really quickly. I pushed my glasses back onto my face and took a deep breath, trying to center myself.

I could do this. I could date a celebrity without freaking out. I got this!

When I walked back out to the living room, Chris was already here and in the kitchen talking to Max. My heart pounded so hard in my chest, I thought it was going to rip from my body and run away. His back was to me, but his face was turned to the side a little so I could see that the shadow of the beard on his face was growing out a little bit more, as if he was either too lazy to shave or was going to grow out his beard again. His hair was sticking up like normal, but I could tell the top of it was starting to get wavier, like soon it wouldn't stick straight up anymore. He was wearing a pair of dark colored jeans, a dark red v-neck shirt, and a pair of black nikes. The outfit fit him VERY well, and every muscle in his upper body showed as he reached into the cabinet to get plates out for the 3 of us.

Him and Max were just chatting about her job, and he turned to set the plates on the table and finally spotted me.

I stood rooted to the spot, those blue eyes meeting mine and stealing every ounce of breath left in my body.

"Hey," he said, a big smile on his face. I was struck once more by how beautiful the smile was. He was such a happy person, and the smile radiated so much joy.

"Hi," I choked out. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before clearing my throat. I opened my eyes to see him walking toward me, and I tried again. "Hey yourself."

He was grinning at me as he pulled me against his body, his hand tipping my chin upward so he could lean down for a kiss. Those full lips touched mine, and every nerve ending in my body tingled. The butterflies were rampaging full force through my stomach. I gasped softly when he wrapped his arms fully around my body.

I heard Max cough in the kitchen, and I pulled away from Chris, my face bright red.

Chris laughed softly. "Sorry, Max."

"It's cool," she said.

Why did I feel like I couldn't even talk?

"Hey," Chris whispered to me, taking my hand in his. "What's with the nerves? You're barely looking at me."

"You make me nervous," I said, and even when I said it out loud, it sounded silly.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "I make you nervous?"

"She doesn't mean in like a creepy way. She means like in a...'I'm going to embarrass myself so terribly in front of you by not being able to speak properly and be a clumsy mess' kind of way."

I glared at Max. "Thank you."

She grinned. "No problem. Dinner's ready."

Chris squeezed my hand, making my eyes meet his. "Hey...listen. I'm really nervous too."

"You are?" I asked him incredulously.

He nodded. "It's been awhile since I felt this way about a woman. I'm kind of just making this up as I go. I don't know how to do this...how to date."

I went on tip toe and kissed his cheek. "Thanks," I whispered. "That makes me feel a little better."

The smile he sent my way made me want to melt into a puddle on the floor. "Come on, let's eat. I'm starving after that drive."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys...you have all been so amazing! Thank you for all the kudos and comments, and I've been getting some great feedback! Please continue with kudos and comments because they make me unbelievably happy!
> 
> Stay safe and healthy <3


	10. Chapter 10: "I promise I won't let you fall."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Chris spend some much needed alone time together.
> 
> ****WARNING: This chapter is basically all smut.
> 
> I'M NOT EVEN SORRY! :-D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up...lots of sex stuff in this one.
> 
> Also...how's everyone doing? Hope you're all safe!

After dinner, the 3 of us cleaned up and then sat in the living room for a little bit to chat. A few minutes later, Max looked at her phone and got up from the couch.

"So, I'm actually going to go out."

I raised my eyebrows. "Out? Out where? You have work this weekend."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, mom. Chill out. Actually, we had a major leak from the roof, and they had to shut the library down for the weekend so it turns out I'm off. Therefore, I'm free to go out. That work for you, or do I have a curfew too?"

I laughed and threw a couch pillow at her, but she caught it and then smacked me in the back of the head with it. "You're a bitch," I told her.

"Love you too, whore!" she said as she walked into her room.

"You guys are so mean to each other," Chris said with a chuckle.

"We are basically siblings. We really do love each other...promise. I really don't know what I would do without her in my life."

"I get that. I feel like Seb and I should have been brothers. We got really close through the years of filming together. Mackie too. But I don't see Mackie as much as Seb."

I nodded. "In college, there was a time where I felt like I had no one. But then I found her. She was sorta mean to me at first, but then I wore her down and we've been best buds ever since. When I feel like the whole world is against me, she's the one I count on to be in my corner of the ring. Even if she disagrees with me, I know she'll still be in my corner. She's seen me at my best and my worst and hasn't batted an eye. There aren't a lot of people in my life who I can say truly stuck by me through it all. Except her."

"Wow, Evie, stop it or I'm gunna throw up," Max snorted as she came back out from her room. She was dressed in a knock-out dark maroon dress. It fit her perfectly, showing all her curves and her long legs. She was wearing a pair of combat boots with it, which on anyone else would have looked ridiculous with the dress. I watched as she opened our coat closet and put on a black leather jacket.

Her hair was braided back from her face, and she wore smokey eye make-up and blood red lipstick.

"Holy shit, Max. You got a hot date or something?" I asked, my eyebrows raised.

She smirked at me. "Or something." She put her small wallet and keys into a zipper pocket on the inside of her jacket. "Don't wait up. I'm giving you two some space, so I probably won't be home. Bye, bitches." She blew us a kiss and then was out the door.

I ran to the window to see if someone was picking her up. It was dark, but the street lights showed a dark colored sports car on the side street with a man leaning against it.

"Is that....is that Seb?" I asked Chris, feeling him come up behind me.

He barked out a laugh. "Oh my god that IS Seb. What the hell? He never told me he was taking her out."

We watched Max walk over to him and kiss him. They kissed for a minute before the 2 of them got into Seb's car and they left.

"Well, this is an interesting development."

"It is. He never told me!"

"She never told me either." I turned to look at him. "Think they're just hooking up?"

He shrugged. "That's not really his style."

"I can't believe she never said anything. You know...I suspected that something might have happened between them last week but wasn't sure. They'd be cute together. She's gorgeous and Seb is pretty hot."

"Hey!"

I laughed and closed the blinds before turning toward Chris. "Aw don't be jealous."

"It's the beard, right? He can really grow a beard." Chris grabbed me and pulled me to him. I wound my arms around his neck and looked up at him.

"And his blue eyes. He has gorgeous eyes. Dark hair, blue eyes, beard. Hot."

Chris gave me an offended look. "You are so mean."

"Mmm I do try," I told him in a low voice. "But I'm not dating Sebastian am I?" I stepped away from him, backing toward my room and giving him my best 'come-hither' look. "And I'm also not sleeping with him....right?"

Chris looked at me with such heat in his eyes and the look alone was enough to make me nervous. I ignored the nervous feelings and stripped off my shirt once I opened the door to my room, throwing it to the floor. My shorts quickly followed, and I stood in front of him in my matching underwear and bra.

He was moving toward me, and I felt the sexual tension go all the way up as he practically ripped his shirt off. I backed further into the room and he came in and shut the door. His hands moved to his pants as he kicked off his shoes. He shoved his pants and boxers to the floor in one move and took off his socks.

I could feel my pulse quicken, and my hands shook just the slightest bit as they moved to take off my bra.

"No." His voice came out choked and thick with arousal. "Just get on the bed."

I bit my lip and nodded, laying myself flat on my back. I gulped as he moved toward me, all muscle and sexual energy. Energy that was being directed at me. I licked my lips as he stood next to me, and I reached out to slide my hand up the thick muscles of his left thigh. My hand grasped his hard cock and stroked gently.

He moved out of my reach and bent down to go into his overnight bag, grabbing a box of condoms out and putting them on the nightstand.

"You're prepared," I whispered, my voice low with lust.

"Always come prepared."

"Is that the boy scout motto?"

He grinned. "Nope."

"Mmm...Captain America's?"

"Nah."

"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure America's ass is in this very room."

He laughed that contagious laugh of his and turned around so I could see the ass in question. Holy fuck was it a nice ass.

I stood back up and squeezed his butt in my hands.

"Is it okay if I worship America's ass a little bit?"

He chuckled. "You're going to say that to me a lot, aren't you?"

I made him lay on the bed on his stomach and knelt next to him. "Probably. But if my ass were this nice, you'd understand."

"Your ass is nice," he growled, trying to get up.

I pushed his shoulders back down. "No way. Stay there," I ordered, smacking his ass hard.

He choked out a laugh. "Wow this is getting kinky."

I laughed and kissed his cheek. He pushed himself up on his elbows to get more comfortable as I kissed down the back of his body. My hands kneaded the muscles in his back before roaming down to his butt. I kissed each cheek tenderly before biting down, making him moan.

"Evie-"

"Shhh."

I kept biting different spots on his ass, driving him crazy. I raked my nails down his thighs and then kissed down his legs. When I got to his feet, he flipped onto his back and I started kissing my way back up his body.

I knelt next to his left hip and leaned over him, letting my hair brush against his legs as I touched my lips to the head of his cock. I grasped his hard shaft with my left hand as my right stroked the skin of his chest and stomach.

The taste of him was nearly intoxicating. A soft moan escaped me as I slid my mouth further down his cock. He grasped my hair in his right hand, tugging at it hard as he moaned. I was glad he was enjoying this. This was something I didn't normally like doing, but hearing these half-crazed sounds escape him was turning me on so much I could feel myself getting wet and slick with desire.

"Fuck, Evie," he hissed as I started bobbing my head up and down, taking as much of him into my mouth as I could without hitting my gag reflex. I used my hand as an extension of my mouth since he was so long. I raised off of him to take a deep breath, and then slowly licked around the tip of his cock, tasting the bead of precum leaking out of him. It made me moan and urged me to take him back into my mouth.

I slid my mouth further down the length of him, moving my hand away to grasp his balls. I pushed past my gag reflex, making myself swallow past it and take him as deep into my throat as I could.

He was still gripping my hair, his other hand fisted in the sheets as he moaned beneath me.

Fuck, this was invigorating. I had all this power. I was doing this. I was making him lose control.

He yelled out and pulled me off of him by my hair, and he fell from my mouth with a pop. "Evie!" he nearly shouted. "Fuck!!" His head slammed back against the pillow and he let go of my hair. I knew I had pushed him to his limit. One day, I would push him past it and swallow all of him down when he finished in my mouth. But I wanted, no...needed him to fuck me tonight.

I smirked at him and sat on the bed as he tried to recover himself. "You doing okay there, Evans?"

I yelped as he suddenly grabbed me and flipped me underneath him. I looked up at him and he kissed me hard. His mouth moved down my body, his hands reaching behind me to expertly remove my bra and throw it to the floor. The stubble on his chin rubbed against my breasts. He bit my nipples gently, and I was moaning beneath him.

My breasts were always so sensitive, and my body writhed beneath him. I gripped the sheets in my hands as he rubbed me over my underwear.

"Aw fuck, Evie. You're soaking right through these." I yelped as he literally ripped my underwear off my body and shoved 2 of his fingers in me.

"Chris!" I yelled. He bit my right nipple and my body rocked against his. He kept my nipple sucked in his mouth until I begged him to stop. He pulled back and moved to the other breast, doing the same until I again cried out for him to stop. His fingers never stopped pumping into me.

He moved down my body and spread my legs, his mouth kissing the inside of my thighs gently. I moaned when his tongue entered me. He bent my legs up toward me, and I grabbed on to the backs of my thighs, helping to spread myself wide open for him.

His mouth ravaged me, and I was reduced to a panting mess beneath him. My head fell back against the pillows, my nails digging into my thighs. Fucking hell, I was going to orgasm already. It was almost embarrassing that my body reacted like this to him.

I had to let my thighs fall against his shoulders as my body arched. This was too much, and yet I needed more. My hands moved along my own body, seeking release. I gripped his hand and pressed his thumb against my clit, and he responded by rubbing it in small circles. I was cursing and moaning and yelling to the ceiling. My hands grabbed my breasts, my fingers pinching my own nipples. He pulled his thumb away from my clit and moved his mouth over it, humming around it.

I screamed as I orgasmed, and he pumped his fingers back into me, arching them up in such a way that he reached my g-spot. I kept tugging my nipples as he kept my orgasm going and going.

"Chris!!" I shrieked, my hands falling to my sides on the bed. He pulled his fingers out of me and eased back, letting me see that his face was glistening with my release. My eyes fluttered closed as I panted for breath, my heart pounding and blood rushing through my ears.

I listened to him move around the room and go into the bathroom. He was running the water for a minute, and then I heard him come back to the bed before he laid next to me. I rolled to my side and cuddled into his body. His arms wrapped around me and he kissed my forehead.

"You okay, babe?"

I smiled at the pet name. "Yeah. That was just..."

"That was amazing." His hands were moving over my body and down to my ass.

"Mm...I need another minute."

"I've got nothing but time," he whispered before kissing me.

I rubbed his back with my hands, sighing as his body enveloped me, our legs tangled together. After a few minutes, I recovered enough to realize how very hard he still was. His cock was pressed between our bodies, hard and warm against my stomachs. I wiggled against him, my nipples brushing the hair on his chest making me sigh in pleasure.

I had always hated that they made him so....hairless for his role of Captain America. Real men had hair, and I was glad he didn't stick with shaving it off all the time. He also wasn't as muscular and ripped like for the movies, but he still had a very defined body, one that I enjoyed very very much.

He looked down at me and kissed me slow and deep, letting me taste myself on his tongue. His hands grabbed my ass, cupping the cheeks before he lightly smacked me. I moaned and pressed the front of my body against his cock, arching into him. He smacked me again, this time a little harder, making me pull away from the kiss to moan.

Chris pulled away from me then, his body looking over mine as he reached to the box of condoms and took one out. My pulse quickened as I watched him take it out of the package and roll it down on himself. I reached between my legs and stroked my own clit, watching his hand move down his cock.

"Aw fuck, Eve. You're such a little fucking minx," he growled, his eyes watching my hand as he finished rolling the condom down.

I opened my mouth to say, I don't even know what, when he flipped me on to my stomach on the bed. He pulled my knees up beneath me, and I leaned my forearms on the pillows to help steady me.

"This okay?" he asked, as if not sure if I would like the position he chose. I responded by shoving my ass against his hard cock. He moved his hips back and then slid himself over my slick center.

"Chris, please," I begged.

He rested his left hand on the center of my back and used his right hand to help guide his cock inside of me.

He felt impossibly large in this position, and I could feel my body fighting against him. We both groaned, and I pressed my face against the pillow, fighting my body's urge to push back against him.

Chris was cursing softly as he fought to get every inch of himself inside me. When he was finally fully inside me, I knew I was stretched to my limit. My body was fluttering over his hard cock, making him groan. I tried to move, but he kept me shoved against the pillows with his hand on my back. "Wait," he choked out. "Wait a second for your body to adjust." He stroked my back softly, and I let myself relax a little. "Evie," he breathed out on a sigh, "you feel so good."

I swallowed hard as he started to slowly pull out of me and then slowly thrust himself back in. It was maddening. My body was on fire and I felt myself sweating with the exertion.

"Wait," I gasped out, making him stop mid-thrust. I grabbed 2 of the thickest pillows on my bed and put them beneath my hips, letting my shaking body rest against them. I kept a pillow under my face, my forearms still pressing against the mattress. I turned my face toward him, seeing his eyes half-lidded and half-crazed with lust. I nodded at him to continue, and the new position my hips were in didn't allow him to go as deep...but it allowed him to go faster.

He grasped my hips in his hands and started to go faster and faster, his body pounding into me as I started yelling out for him. Each shallow thrust pushed the tip of his cock against my g-spot with every stroke, and he knew it. Knew it from the way my yells escalated into near screams of pleasure for him.

Chris was panting behind me, his hands smacking my ass. The pleasure was blinding, but I needed the friction against my clit. I moved one hand beneath my body and found my clit soaking with the juices from my body. "Yeah, Evie, touch yourself," he growled, thrusting his body even faster.

My finger rubbed my clit almost furiously, desperate for a release to this blinding insane pleasure. He was cursing and talking incoherently behind me, and I was nearly sobbing in desperation, my body feeling like it was going to explode, but not quite getting there just yet. One of his hands stroked up my ass, and I felt a finger rub around the tight ring of muscles there.

"Evie...okay?" he asked, seeking permission.

I had never had anal sex before, had never even had anyone do any kind of anal play. I'd always had a 'no-go-zone' rule with it, but I was so maddened and crazed with pleasure that I didn't care. I knew he wouldn't hurt me. Chris would never hurt me. I knew that as sure as anything else which is the only reason I shouted, "YES!" for him to continue.

Four things happened almost all at once. His finger breached that tight ring of muscles, and he shouted before thrusting hard against my g-spot and he came. He came so hard I swear I almost felt it even through the condom. At the same time, my finger stiffened over my clit, and the dam broke. I was screaming into the pillow, and my entire body exploded with the most intense pleasure I had ever felt in my life. He kept pushing against my g-spot, his finger still in my ass, and he was yelling too. My orgasm went and went and went, and I felt a gush of fluid leave my body.

"Fuck!!" Chris cursed loudly, his fingers of his unoccupied hand squeezing my hips in a near bruising grip. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he was gasping out over and over. He nearly fell on top of me, but then caught himself and pulled his finger out of my ass and his cock out of my drenched pussy.

When he pulled out, another rush of fluid left me without me being able to help myself. Either I was blacked out, or my eyes were closed with my face in the pillow. I wasn't sure which, and felt a little fuzzy as I tried to take deep breaths and found that I couldn't.

He quickly rolled me over, and my vision swam a little as I tried to focus on his face above me. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern. "Evie?"

"Fuck," was all I could say as I panted for air.

"Shit."

My eyes shut again and the bed moved as he left it. I don't think I passed out, because I heard him go out my bedroom door and come back quickly. He pulled me up so I was sitting against the headboard, and held a glass of water to my mouth. "Here," he said, and I grabbed the cup from him and drank from it. The water made me feel better, and I opened my eyes to look at him.

"Did you black out?" he asked, sounding so worried that I felt bad.

My hands were shaking as I handed the glass back to him and wiped the sweaty hair away from my face and laughed. "Um...I'm not sure." I laughed again and looked at him, and there was a small smile on his face.

"You scared the hell out of me. You went so limp and your face was pressed so hard against your pillow I didn't think you were breathing."

I blushed a violent shade of red, pulled my knees to my chest in embarrassment. It was then I realized that my bed was soaked. I looked at him, and his whole lower body was glistening with...

"Oh...my...GOD. Did I-" I hid my face with my hands. I had only seen women 'squirt' (I really hated that word) in porn. I had never done it before, and I was completely embarrassed. I knew now that's what the rush of fluid was.

"Evie, it's fine."

"But-"

He laughed and pulled my hands away from my face as he leaned down to kiss me. "Evie, stop. There's no need to be embarrassed."

"I basically just peed on you," I said, completely mortified.

"It was mostly cum. I promise."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh, that makes me feel loads better." I tried to slide to the edge of the bed, but stopped when my lower body became angry at even touching just the blankets so soon after sex that intense. I froze, and knew I had a pained look on my face.

He sat next to me and lifted me up and set me down gently on his lap, holding me to him. I hid my face against his chest and sighed.

"Sex has never been like that for me with anyone," he told me, his voice quiet as he gently kissed my head.

I wrapped my arms around him and listened to his heart beat and it was still a little faster than normal. "Me too."

We were quiet for a few minutes, and he just held me. My body was sore and tired, and I think I started to fall asleep before he picked me up and stood from the bed. "We have to shower," he muttered.

"I don't think I can stand."

"I'll hold you," he whispered softly as he walked me to the bathroom. "I promise I won't let you fall."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so...personally, I think that chapter is REALLY hot.
> 
> What did you guys think?
> 
> Comments and kudos MUCH APPRECIATED!
> 
> You guys are seriously the best!


	11. Chapter 11: Driver picks the music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Chris start off their epic date weekend and their trip into the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This chapter is on the light and fluffy side with not much going on, but I think it's cute! I will probably update again on the weekend. Hope you're all okay.
> 
> I just got told today my hours are work are being cut in half so I've been struggling a lot today, but I know it could be way worse.

I was still so groggy and tired once we got out of the shower. Chris had washed and rinsed my hair and body, and then himself while still holding me. Thankfully, I had one of those detachable shower heads that made it a lot easier for him. I was so tired, I didn't even argue when he picked me up, once we were dried off, to walk me back to my room.

Him and I both looked at my soaked sheets and sighed. "If I put you down by your dresser, will you be okay?"

I nodded at him, and he placed me on the floor gently. I held on to the dresser and steadied my shaky legs. Chris asked where to get more sheets and pillow cases, and I told him where they were as I dug into my drawer for a pair of underwear. I needed to be comfortable right now, so I chose a pair of blue cotton hipster style undies that were just a little loose on me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chris's discarded shirt from earlier on the floor and carefully bent to grab it. I put it over my head, and sighed at being enveloped by the smell of him. The shirt was loose and hung down toward the middle of my thighs, but the soft cotton was so comfortable.

I turned toward the bed to see Chris staring at me, the new sheets forgotten on the bed. "What?" I asked, suddenly feeling even more vulnerable than I already had been feeling. Last week I had slept naked with him, but something about this new sexual encounter had left me feeling more vulnerable, and I wanted to have some clothes on.

There was something vulnerable in his own gaze, but he blinked as if I woke him from a stupor and it disappeared. "Nothing...you just look so beautiful in my shirt."

I blushed and looked away from him, making my eyes wander over to the balled up sheets on the floor. I walked over to the dirty pile of laundry and picked it up, putting it in my hamper. Both of us then quickly made the bed, but the pillows that had been under me were even too wet to put new pillow cases on. My face got red again, and I bit my lip hard as I decided to just go put everything in the washing machine. 

As I put everything in the wash, I did some deep breathing exercises to help recenter myself before I went back to my room.

Chris had finished remaking the bed, and was laying on it still naked and waiting for me. I stopped in the doorway and just looked at him, still not really believing this was happening.

"Come here," he whispered, as if afraid to scare me off. I shut the light and closed the door before crawling into the bed with him. He rolled to his side to face me, and I was on my side facing him too. We just laid there and looked in each other's eyes for a minute or two before he broke the silence. "You're incredible." He stroked his hand over my face and I grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles gently.

"So are you," I told him.

He kissed me gently and I sighed. When he pulled back, he tucked wet hair behind my head. "Do you want me to put clothes on to sleep?"

I shook my head at him. "You don't have to. I only did because..." I wasn't sure if I could even explain it.

"Because why?"

I leaned my face against his chest and gently kissed the hollow of his throat before looking back up at him. "I'm not sure if I can explain it. I feel like...vulnerable right now."

He stroked my hair and kept looking into my eyes. "I think I can help explain it." I nodded at him to continue. "Look...sex is different for everyone. Some people it's just physical, for others it's...like opening a door that goes straight to your soul. And every encounter is different. This was....the most intense thing I've ever felt."

"Me too."

"So I think...you did the sexual equivalent of like baring your soul to me. And now that the sex is over, you're feeling vulnerable. Like the door was open too wide for too long."

I thought about that for a few minutes and realized he was right. "How did you know that?"

"I felt it too, but I had to chase it back when I thought you passed out."

I laughed against his chest, laughing hard enough that I felt tears come to my eyes. Soon, he was laughing too.

Not long after that, we fell asleep in each other's arms.

***

The next day, I woke up early to get the laundry into the dryer, and since Chris was still sleeping when I was done, I got into the shower to start getting ready. The first part of the play wasn't until 2, but I knew he wanted to go to the city a little early so we could do some other stuff. Maybe I could convince him to take me to Strand Bookstore. I had always wanted to go there, and never had.

I wasn't sure how this was going to work since we were going to be walking around in public. Was he going to try and be as inconspicuous as possible? I was hoping that since we'd be in New York, we may be okay. There were so many people in New York, and mostly everyone had their eyes either locked in their phones, or they were too busy watching where they were walking.

When I was done showering, I stood in the steamy bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how I had caught the attention of a celebrity...and that he actually thought I was beautiful.

Maybe he got hit on the head. Maybe I got hit on the head.

Was this a dream? Would I wake up in 7 years and the Doctor would say...'Hi, you've been in a coma for the last 7 years.'

I snorted at that ridiculous thought as I started going through my morning routine. I soaked up as much moisture as I could from my hair with a t-shirt wrap on my head, brushed my teeth and started putting on some make-up. Ulta had put out an Avengers themed make-up line when Endgame had come out, and I had stocked up on one of everything in it. I decided to pull it all out for today, and I was starting to put it on, Chris came into the bathroom.

He stood behind me and watched me in the mirror. "Is that Avengers make-up?"

"Yeah! Ulta put it out when Endgame came out, and I went broke that next paycheck by buying one of everything and the make-up bags they put out too." I showed him the pallets and lip sticks, and was surprised when he grabbed one of the matte lipsticks, one that was a beautiful shade of dark red.

"This one is really pretty. Will you wear it?"

I smirked at him. "Of course." I started doing my make-up routine again. A little cover up, a little foundation, eyeliner, mascara, brow definer, eye shadow, blush, highlighter, and finally lipstick.

"Do you want breakfast?"

"You're going to cook it for me?" I asked, looking at him in the mirror with an eyebrow raised.

He grinned that boyish grin of his. "Of course. What do you want?"

"Scrambled eggs are fine. And toast. I don't want much. Will you be able to find your way around the kitchen?"

"I'll figure it out. You just finish getting ready and don't worry."

I watched in the mirror as his bare ass went through the door and chuckled to myself.

***

I had dressed in a lightweight dress that was black and had a nighttime silhouette of the Hogwarts castle around the bottom of the skirt. It came to mid-thigh, and the top part of the dress was just plain black with short sleeves and was low enough to show a little cleavage. I had worn a small pair of shorts under the dress along with my pair of Hufflepuff underwear and a black lace push up bra. As I walked through the living room, I slid my Hufflepuff Vans on to my feet, and watched Chris slide some eggs onto 2 plates.

He had dressed in a pair of boxers and his t-shirt from yesterday, the one I had worn to bed. He was whistling as he cooked, and when he saw me standing there watching him he shrieked and nearly dropped the eggs. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see you start shaking your hips to the beat in your head," I told him, a smirk curving my lips up.

Chris rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"Aw come on. It was adorable."

He stuck his tongue out at me before getting a plate of sausage out of the microwave and grabbing my toast.

We ate in silence for a minute before he broke it. "Oh...so I finished the first Harry Potter book."

I almost choked on my toast. "What?! How could you forget to tell me that?"

He blushed. "I was going to tell you last night since I finished it right before I left to come here, but we ate dinner and then kinda got distracted."

"Distracted is an understatement," I said with a laugh. "So...did you like it?"

"I loved it! Harry has it so rough, but then he finds this place where he can be utterly himself, and makes it his home. I especially liked Quidditch. That sounds so freaking cool."

"When you finish each book, we should watch the movies together."

"Agreed. Am I going to be confused today during this play?"

"Yes, but...just go with it. Once you read all the books you'll understand, and then you can read the screen-play for Cursed Child and it will make sense. Wow...I'm so excited that you read it. What house do you think you're in?"

He laughed then and blushed a little. "Actually, I've been doing a lot of research on that. I signed up for Pottermore and took a bunch of tests. I'm a Hufflepuff, which Downey's been telling me for years but I never believed him."

"I'm a Hufflepuff!" I shouted, showing him my shoes.

"I can tell," he said with a grin, indicating my jewelry. I had on a Hufflepuff pendant/locket, a Hufflepuff charm bracelet and Hufflepuff earrings too. I even had a Hufflepuff hair bow but decided not to wear it today since I just put gel in my curls and let it run loose and wild. My black Huffelpuff cardigan was also by the door waiting for me to grab it.

We finished eating breakfast, and then I cleaned everything up in the kitchen and my room while he showered quickly. He came out with a pair of faded jeans on and a black t-shirt with a red and black flannel over it. He had the sleeves rolled up, and I watched him put on his socks and his Nikes.

"How are we doing this? Do you want me to drive? Do you want to take the train?"

He put his wallet in his pocket and grabbed a hat and sunglasses from his bag. "I can drive."

"But you drove all the way here. The least I can do is drive us around this weekend."

"Okay, but I'm paying for parking. I know somewhere good we can park it for the day and take a cab to wherever we want."

"Sold."

***

Soon enough, we were on our way to the city in my Jeep Wrangler and making small talk about random things. We were basically playing 20 questions, which was fine because it was a great way to get to know someone on a long car ride.

"Wait, your favorite artist right now is Post Malone?"

"Yeah," I told him. "Why?"

"I guess I just pictured you as more of a...rock girl."

"I have a whole Spotify playlist to prove just how weird my taste of music has gotten since high school."

"I wanna hear it."

"Here." I threw my phone to him. "Make a Z to unlock it, and it should be connected to my data. The aux hook up is right there." I pointed to the spot where the aux wire was, and he quickly unlocked my phone and plugged it in. He turned the volume up on my phone and also on the stereo in my car, and clicked on the Spotify app as I stopped in traffic. We were already in the city, and now it was just a matter of making our way through traffic to where we were going to park the car. Chris had it punched in his GPS so I wasn't worried about playing music. "It's the playlist called 'My Weird Ass Taste in Music'."

He laughed and clicked on it, and soon enough I heard 'Bodak Yellow' by Cardi B coming through the speakers. "Wow. Post Malone, Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello, Cardi B., Lizzo, Ariana Grande, Bazzi, Blackbear, Russ, Khalid...A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. This is some playlist."

I laughed at him. "Is that judgement in your voice?"

"No! I just...honestly pegged you more for Metallica or Disturbed. Green Day?"

This made me laugh even harder. "Basically. In high school my favorite was My Chemical Romance."

"Yikes."

"Oh, shut up!" I said, cheering when 7 Rings by, and I started to sing at the top of my lungs to it. "'Yeah, breakfast at Tiffany's and bottles of bubbles. Girls with tattoos who like getting in trouble. Lashes and diamonds, ATM machines. Buy myself all of my favorite things...'"

When I turned to him again after the song was done, I realized he had been recording me with his phone. "Got ya," he said with a big grin.

"Oh, you shit," I said, elbowing his arm. I lowered the music. "You recorded me singing that whole song?"

"Yep. I'm going to cherish that one for sure."

"You're an ass."

"You LOVE my ass."

"Ughhh, you're right."

Another half an hour later, I was finally pulling into an upscale parking garage after Chris had paid the high parking fee. We stuck the ticket in my window, grabbed our stuff and started for the street. He put on his hat and a pair of dark sunglasses, reminding me a lot of his character in the 'Winter Soldier' movie where he put on the same disguise to go through the mall with Natasha. I wrapped my Hufflepuff sweater around my waist and made sure my purse strap was over my shoulder as we walked into the daylight.

I didn't hear anyone immediately scream, 'OH MY GOD IT'S CHRIS EVANS', and realized that people weren't even paying us any attention.

He grabbed my hand and we stood there for a second. "It's only 10. Is there anything you want to do before the show?"

I bit my lip. "Can we please go to Strand BookStore? I've never been there."

He grinned and started pulling me by the hand around the corner and to the front of Strand Bookstore. "Am I a mind reader or what?"

"Wow! You are. This is the perfect first date." I squealed with excitement and nearly skipped to the door with him.

When we went inside, I was dumbfounded by the amount of books they had. My eyes went everywhere, and I looked behind me to see Chris taking his sunglasses off. He looked around to make sure people didn't see him, but they were paying more attention to the books. I dragged him toward the huge Harry Potter section that I could see at the end of one of the aisles.

"Wow," I said in awe as I stared up at all of the different covers and spin-off books that people had published. Harry Potter cookbooks, a book about all of the badass witches, a pop-up book, artistry in all the films, and so much more. Harry Potter merch also lined the shelves, and I immediately grabbed a funko pop of Harry flying on a broomstick trying to catch a snitch. "I have been trying to find this one for years!" I said in wonder.

I also grabbed the newest illustrated edition to come out, Goblet of Fire, as well as the 2nd book in hardcover in the Hufflepuff colors.

Chris took the books from me and held them. "Good thing the car is close so we can stop there after this and drop this stuff off."

The smile on my face was so big it hurt. "Yup." I took my phone out and took some pictures of him holding my books and then some selfies of us together. There was a particular one where he had pressed his cheek against my forehead, and the both of us looked so happy together in the picture. I put that one as the picture for when he called me and then sent it to him.

After a few more minutes, and a few more books in his arms, he finally convinced me to get away from the Harry Potter section. We looked at everything under the sun. There were so many books, and I knew we wouldn't be able to see everything when I looked at the clock and it was nearing 1pm.

"Wow. We spent almost 3 hours in here," I muttered as we made our way to the cash register.

Chris and I then had an argument over who was paying, which he won because he was stronger and was able to basically arm wrestle me quicker than I could get my card to the employee. The employee behind the counter laughed as he counted the cash Chris basically threw at him.

"Oh, hey, I know you," the cashier said, making us both freeze. The cashier nodded and bagged my books before handing Chris his change. "You're awesome, dude." The employee noticed me looking around. "I won't say anything. It's cool. Clearly you guys are on some really epic date, and I don't want to ruin it for you."

Chris nodded and shook the teenager's hand. "Eric? I owe you, man."

Eric, the cashier, shook his shaggy blonde hair. "Nah, man. It's totally cool. Have fun with your girlfriend. You guys are like perfect for each other. I'm happy for you, man." They did some weird man handshake thing, and then Chris quickly took a piece of scrap paper and autographed it for the kid.

"Thanks, dude."

Chris put his sunglasses back on as we exited the store, and after depositing our bags in my car, we quickly got a cab to take us to the Lyric Theatre.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? Please keep the comments coming!!


	12. Chapter 12: "So does Chris know how to use that wand of his properly or what?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Chris attend the play, and then Chris has another surprise up his sleeve that leads to Evie meeting more of his friends from the Avengers gang!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Here's another cutesy chapter. And...enter Tom! Don't get TOO excited. It's the early early FRIEND stage for now.
> 
> I know I know...don't be too mad okay? We'll get there! I PROMISE.
> 
> Hope you're all okay <3

The show was fantastic! I loved every bit of it. I had laughed, I had definitely cried, and I was so incredibly thankful that Chris had taken me to this. 

Chris and I had eaten something from one of the food carts before the first part, and then we ate something quickly before we had to go back for the 2nd part.

It was nearing 10:30 when we finally got out of the show and went through the gift shop. We started walking back to my car, and then Chris looked at his phone.

"So...I know it's late, but how about we go to a party?"

I raised my eyebrows at him. "A party? What kind of party?"

"Tom Hiddleston has a place downtown and is having a party. He's in that Broadway play right now called 'Betrayal'." He looked at me and I nodded for him to continue as we walked back into the parking garage to my car. "He invited us to come see it tomorrow and to stay at his place for the night. He's also having a get together just for some friends."

I laughed. "Okay wait...so you're telling me I get to not only see his play tomorrow, but also get to meet him and stay in his place with you?"

"Yep."

"Deal. Who else is going to be there? Also, I don't have clothes."

"I've been working on the clothes thing."

"Sup, bitches," I heard Max's voice echo through the parking garage. In the dim light of the garage, I could see her and Seb standing at my Jeep with a bunch of bags. I could see my backpack, which I'm guessing Max had packed, and also Chris's bag that he had left in my room.

I turned to Chris and raised my eyebrows. "Wow. You've been busy plotting this all day, huh."

He grinned. "Yup. Did I do good?"

I laughed and kissed him. "You did great. I'm guessing Seb and Max are coming to this party too."

"And the show tomorrow," Seb said.

"Evie...we get to meet Tom Hiddleston," Max whispered dramatically to me. "Aren't you like...sort of in love with him?"

Chris looked at me. "Does this go deeper than you just loving him because he plays Loki?"

"Listen...no."

"She's lying. She once played a video of him explaining math 5 times in the span of an hour because she thinks his voice is so hot."

"Jesus Fucking H. Roosevelt Christ, Max. Why did you have to tell Chris that?"

"So he can help me embarrass you in front of Tom."

I looked at Sebastian for help and all he did was shrug. "You're on your own, Eve," he said, trying not to laugh.

"A video of him explaining math?" Chris was definitely laughing at me now.

"Don't ask." I turned back to Max. "Please tell me you have clothing more appropriate for a party for me in there."

She handed me the bag. "Yup. Get changed."

"Where?"

"Right here. Oh, don't look at me like that. Seb won't care."

I rolled my eyes at her and grabbed the bag. I opened my car door and dumped it out on the seat. She had packed me a cute black dress that had stars and galaxies on it for tomorrow's show along with a black sweater and galaxy vans to go with it and some underwear, socks, and an extra bra. For tonight, she had packed me a pair of ankle length jeans that I knew fit me perfectly and made my ass look great. The shirt to go with it was dark red, short sleeved, and off the shoulder style. It showed a lot of cleavage, and it wouldn't have been something I would have picked to wear. Thankfully, the bra I was wearing had removable straps. I didn't like wearing strapless bras, but it'd have to do.

Max was showing Chris the video of Tom Hiddleston making math sound sexy as I started changing. I removed my arms from the top of the dress first and pushed it down to my waist, but had to get Max to remove the back of the bra straps while Chris kept watching the video. When I got the straps off, I shoved them in the backpack along with the rest of the clothes I wouldn't wear until tomorrow. I put the red shirt on, and then dropped the dress down over my hips and took off the shorts.

"Is she wearing Harry Potter underwear?" I heard Seb ask.

"Hey! Stop staring at Evie's ass!" Chris yelled, and I heard Seb yelp in pain.

I turned as I pulled the jeans over my hips, and Seb was holding his head with Chris glaring at him. Max was off to the side trying not to laugh.

"Did you really wear Harry Potter underwear, Eve?" she asked.

"Come on! I saw the Harry Potter play! I needed to represent."

"It's a wonder you even get laid," I heard her mutter.

"Excuse you," Chris said, poking her shoulder. "She gets laid just fine. I think the Harry Potter underwear is cute." It made me smile and laugh as I buttoned my pants and then put my Hufflepuff Vans back on.

I looked down at myself and frowned a little. There was a gap between the shirt and pants, and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. "Does this look bad? These clothes are...well they're a little on the well-fitted side, and I would not have normally worn them together."

"Eve, babe, how many times have I told you that your body is bangin'?" Max said, sighing in frustration. "It looks great on you. It's all up here." She tapped her head.

I did a turn for her. "My ass doesn't look big?"

"Well, how do you want me to answer this? You have a voluptuous booty, but it looks great in those pants." Max was always honest with me.

"I think you look great," I heard Seb say.

"What did I just tell you about staring at Evie's ass?" I heard Chris growl.

"But she just asked! She asked if her ass looked big!" Seb said, dodging another smack on the head from Chris.

Chris glared at him playfully and walked over to me, wrapping his arms around me and grabbing my ass. "Your ass is my favorite ass."

"Wowww. Coming from someone with America's Ass, I'm going to take that as a compliment," I said, making the three of them laugh.

I quickly put all the stuff back in the backpack. "Am I driving to Tom's place?"

Chris nodded. "Yeah. There is a parking garage there for guests. He gave me the code to get into it."

All of us got in the car, and off we went to Tom Hiddleston's place. It didn't take long to get there at all, maybe about 20 minutes with the traffic, but soon I was pulling into another parking garage and finding a space.

We got in an elevator and Chris punched in another code that I was assuming would just take us directly to Tom's floor.

"Who else is going to be there? You never said," I pointed out as Chris grabbed my hand.

"I think some other people from the cast and crew of the play he is in. Um...Mackie, Elizabeth, and some others but not really sure who," he answered like it wasn't a big deal.

"Mackie? I'm going to meet Mackie?" I asked, suddenly feeling nervous. I knew Seb was Chris's best friend, but I knew him and Mackie were close too. Close enough that Mackie once told the world in an interview that he wanted Chris to find happiness with a woman and that she needed to be down to earth and intelligent. It made me think that I may have to work a little harder with Mackie than I had with Seb. We all have that one friend who we go to for advice about the people we're dating. I just hoped Mackie approved of me.

Aw, shit.

I'm not sure what the look on my face was, but Max grabbed the hand that Chris wasn't holding and squeezed it. She had always been able to read me like a book. She dropped my hand as the elevator door opened to an empty hallway. Chris led the way for us and we walked to the end of a long hallway that only had about 2 or so doors.

I started hearing some music as we got closer to the last door, and then suddenly it opened and Tom was standing there with a drink in his hand.

"Hey! It's my fellow Avengers!" Tom said before greeting Seb and Chris with big hugs. I didn't think he was totally drunk, but he seemed to have a good buzz going. He looked at Max and I. "Hi, I'm Tom."

I got pulled into a hug from him. "I'm Evie," I told him.

"I'm Max," she told him as he then pulled her into a hug.

"Come on in guys. I have 2 rooms set up for you." He led us into the apartment and closed the door.

Actually, I didn't think you could even call this an apartment. It was literally a huge penthouse and I could tell it took up the whole top floor of this building. There were a bunch of people in his living room and the furniture had been pushed back so they could dance. There was a small bar off to the right of the living room that had tons of alcohol on top of it.

Tom led us to 2 rooms, and we put our stuff in them before shutting the doors and going back out to the living room. We got introduced to everyone, mainly people I didn't know or had never heard of before. But then we got led to the kitchen where Elizabeth (Olsen), and Mackie (as in Anthony Mackie) were hanging out and drinking. It was a little quieter in here, but not much.

"Chris!" Elizabeth exclaimed before pulling him into a hug. "AND Seb? Wow. To what do we owe this honor?" she hugged Seb next and then looked at Max and I. "Hi, I'm Elizabeth."

"And I'm Mackie. You must be Eve," he said, shaking my hand.

"That's me," I said. "And that's Max."

He shook Max's hand and then looked back at me. "Chris has told me a lot about you," Mackie said and then took a sip from his beer.

I got nervous again. "Um...should I be worried?" I let out a nervous laugh and Chris squeezed my shoulder.

"No, probably more like he was sick of me talking about you so he's glad that he's meeting you so he can put a face with the girl I won't shut up about," Chris said, instantly making my nerves go away.

I rolled my eyes and turned to him, pushing his chest gently. "Or maybe it's because you're a dork."

"Hey. I'm not a dork."

"Yes, you are," Mackie, Seb, Elizabeth and I all said in unison. The four of us looked at each other and started laughing hysterically. Okay...I could do this. This was going to be okay.

Tom handed Max and I drinks, and we all started talking and immediately clicking. This was nuts. Here were these famous people who had been in so many amazing films, but they were just regular people. I started to understand even better why Chris had hid his identity from me at first. Celebrities are just regular people, but when all people can see is their famous faces...that tends to be forgotten.

After a little while, the music started getting more and more interesting and started sounding more like a DJ trying to get wedding parties to dance. Whoever was playing with the music had started playing the Macarena, the ChaCha Slide, Cotton-Eyed Joe, and even Shout.

"Wow we need to go out there and dance," Elizabeth suddenly proclaimed.

"Let's go," Tom said, linking arms with her and leading her out to the living room.

"Do you want to dance?" Chris asked.

"Ummm," I bit my lip. "I can't dance."

"What do you mean you can't dance?" Mackie asked, putting his drink down.

"I mean that I love music, and the music moves me...but it moves me real ugly." I shrugged my shoulders.

Mackie burst out laughing. "Oh, Chris, I really like her." He turned to me. "I think you just haven't had the right partners, and I think you need more alcohol first."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering to be my dance partner? Because you're going to regret that."

He laughed again. "If Chris lets me, I'll show you some moves. But alcohol first."

Chris, Seb, Max, and I all followed Mackie to the counter where he poured us shots of...I wasn't sure I wanted to know what it was. We quickly did the shots, and then Mackie poured another round. We took the shots again, and I was already starting to feel a little tipsy.

Max suddenly pulled a bag out of her pocket. "Evie, you're going to need one of these too." The bag had a bunch of gummy candies in it.

"Weed gummies?" Mackie asked, and when Max nodded, he took one and popped it in his mouth. Max ate one, then Seb, and Chris took one and handed the bag to me.

"Chris, just watch her, please. She's only done this with me like two other times," Max said.

Chris looked at me in astonishment. "Really? You never smoked weed in high school or anything?"

I blushed. "I wasn't into that type of stuff. I still am really not."

"You don't have to," he said. "No one's going to force it down your throat."

I laughed at him and ate the gummy. "Max would. It's fine. Max and Mackie are right. You'll never get me to dance otherwise."

Chris ate his and then kissed me. "Another round of shots?"

Mackie poured us another round, and I knew then that I was going to be pretty well hammered tonight.

***

Sometime later, when the full effect of the shots and the weed gummy had taken effect on me, we were on the dance floor and just having a blast.

Mackie was actually sort of teaching me how to dance. I was shocked, but somehow my body was moving and it was starting to be...well, not great but not ugly.

We danced to Shut up and Dance, Gangnam Style, and even Soulja Boy. I was really having a blast. Max, Seb, Chris, Mackie, Tom, Elizabeth and myself had formed a tight group toward the middle of the room, and we were switching off partners left and right.

I was really feeling the buzz now, and was amazed at how relaxed I was. It had been awhile since I had let myself really let loose and have this much fun at a party. I usually hated parties!

Mackie was showing me some ridiculous dance moves when Flo Rida's 'Low' suddenly came on and the crowd started cheering. He pushed me toward Chris, and even I was shocked when my hips just suddenly knew what to do.

Chris was behind me, his hips pressed against my butt as we danced. I pulled some moves I didn't even know were in me, and I heard Max cheering me on as she danced with Seb and Mackie.

Chris's hands spun me around, and his eyes were glazed over with lust...probably the weed and alcohol were to blame as well, but whatever. We danced front to front, his hands roaming all over my back, sides, and ass. When the song ended, I let my hips do a particularly sexy roll against his body, and I knew he was getting a little excited from the feel of things.

I threw my head back and laughed, my hair cascading down my back. I pushed at his chest and stepped away from him, shaking my finger at him as if to say 'naughty, naughty'. I blew him a kiss and then went for the kitchen to grab water.

Max burst into the kitchen behind me. "Did I just watch you turn into an actual sex goddess? I had no idea that was in you."

I rolled my eyes at her and opened my bottle of water, chugging it for a few seconds. "I have no clue where that actually came from. And I won't be able to replicate it once I'm sober. Promise. Your sexual goddess will still have supreme reign over all men."

Max laughed and hugged me. "Not ALL men. But yeah some."

"Like Seb?" I leaned my butt against the counter and crossed my legs at the ankle as I drank some more water.

Something in her expression changed. Something that went from 'sexual goddess' to 'nervous awkward girl' for just a split second before it went away. Hmm...interesting.

"Yeah. Like Seb." She leaned against the counter a foot or so away from me.

"What's going on there?" I finally asked. I had to know. It was nearly killing me not knowing.

"We hooked up last weekend."

"I figured as much."

"And he asked me on a date last night."

"I'm guessing it went well since you didn't come home all night."

She grinned, but I noticed that she blushed a little. "It did go well. I'm just not sure what's going to happen."

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged and looked down at an invisible thread on her shirt and started picking at it. "I like him."

"And that's a problem...?"

"I'm just trying to figure out if I like him because he's amazing at 'the sex' or if I like him because I actually like him."

"Wow. So much information I did not just need to hear in that sentence."

She laughed and pushed me, nearly knocking me over before I caught myself. "Shut up. It's true! He's...amazing in bed, dude."

"So is Chris," I admitted with a blush.

Max grinned evilly at me. "I gathered. When I was packing your bag, I saw the box of condoms on the bed and saw you had changed your sheets. Magnum condoms, huh? I packed them for you too."

I felt my face and chest get so red I was sure it blended in with my shirt. "Shut up," I hissed as Elizabeth came into the room.

She stopped when she saw us, and she grinned. "You guys are talking about sex aren't you?"

"Yeah. I was just telling Evie I thought it was very interesting that there was a box of magnum sized condoms on her bedside table."

Now I outright covered my face with my hands. "Max I'm going to kill you."

Elizabeth burst out laughing. "I simultaneously wanted to hear that juicy tidbit about Chris...and so DIDN'T want to know that about him either since he's my friend and that's weird. But I have one question."

"Yeah me too," Max asked. "You first," she told Elizabeth.

"Thank you, Max," Elizabeth said with a smile before turning to me with a smirk. "He into kinky shit? He always struck me as the type that's secretly into that stuff."

"Um...I mean..." I was stuttering as I tried to answer. "I don't think so? At least, it hasn't come out yet."

"Hmm...okay I'll ask again in 6 months," Elizabeth said as she chugged the rest of her beer. She was pretty wasted right now...actually we all were.

"Great, now it's my turn."

I turned to Max and sighed. "I didn't forget about your question. What is it?"

"We all know it's not the size that matters. It's how you use it. So does Chris know how to use that wand of his properly or what?"

"Wait, my what?" Chris asked, overhearing the last bit of the conversation.

I hated Max.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you're all okay. We got word this morning that my grandfather passed away (from the virus), and it's bee a really rough one. I'm trying to be as okay as I can...which is the only reason I'm posting today.
> 
> I'm clinging to the happy things. It's all I can do right now between the numbness and the intermittent break downs.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed the chapter...
> 
> As always, keep the comments and kudos coming. <3


	13. Chapter 13: Tramp Stamp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie is getting along great with Chris's friends, but her and Chris start having a serious conversation that she shouldn't be having in her inebriated state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is short...sorry. Sometimes it just be like that.
> 
> We start diving a little bit into the emotional stuff and get a look into Evie's stubborn brain. She's definitely going to be keeping Chris on his toes, as you'll find out in later chapters.
> 
> Anyways...hope you're all doing okay!

A little bit later, we were back to dancing and 7 rings by Ariana Grande came on.

I gasped and looked at Chris with wide eyes. "It's my song."

"I asked them to play it." He laughed as I started singing and dancing like a maniac to it.

Soon I had Max and even Elizabeth joining me and soon all the girls at the party were dancing together in the middle of the floor.

When it was over, I noticed I had an audience of Chris, Mackie, Seb and Tom all watching me which unnerved me a little bit.

"What?" I asked them.

"Mackie and I just made a bet," Tom said.

"I told them not to," Chris said with a laugh.

"What?" I asked them again, crossing my arms under my chest, forgetting I was wearing a low cut shirt. I groaned and unfolded them quickly so I didn't bring even more attention to me. Although I did watch Chris longingly stare at my chest for a moment.

"Do you have a tramp stamp?" Mackie asked me. "Tom swears he saw one when you were dancing. Which...Chris obviously Tom's been checking out your girl." I thought I heard Chris mutter something along the lines of 'who hasn't' but wasn't sure I heard him right. "I told Tom he was nuts. I mean I see you have tattoos...but a tramp stamp? Chris wouldn't tell us."

I laughed. "How much did you bet him?"

Mackie's face fell. "$500. Why?"

I turned around so my back was to them and unbuttoned my pants so I could slide them down in back a little since they were so tight. I lifted the back of the shirt too so they could see the stupid butterfly tribal tramp stamp low on my back. It was really faded, but it was there alright. I heard Tom smack Mackie on the back, and I pulled my shirt down and turned while doing my pants back up to see Mackie handing Tom money.

"You did me wrong," Mackie said to me.

Chris was grinning next to them. "I knew she did but I wanted to see you lose a bet for once."

"Evie, I am quite shocked," Tom said in an overly pronounced British accent.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "I was 16. All the girls were getting them. I'm going to get it covered up. It's just going to have to be a big piece to cover that so I'm trying to a) decide what the fuck to put there and b) save enough money up to do it."

Tom handed me the $500 from the bet. "Use this to help."

I frowned at him. "No way. I don't want it. You guys did the bet and you won. It's yours."

Tom actually fucking rolled his eyes at me. It was the most Loki-like gesture I had seen him do all night. "Are you always so damn stubborn?"

"Yes," Max and Chris answered. I glared at them both.

Tom gave me the money again by opening my hand, putting the money in, and closing it. "Take it."

"No." Even I could hear the stubbornness in my own voice. "I don't need anyone's money."

Tom turned to Chris with a look. "Wow. I like her." It was a moment so reminiscent of when Jane (Natalie Portman) slapped Loki in 'Thor: the Dark World' that I felt like I was looking at Loki in the flesh.

Chris gave him the finger. "Mine. Hands off." Chris walked over and gave me a kiss.

I suddenly felt really tired. The party was starting to die down now and people were starting to say their goodbyes and leave. They all told Tom they'd see him tomorrow.

Elizabeth and Mackie were staying in one of Tom's other guest rooms and both said their goodnights. Seb and Max went to bed too, and I was left with Tom and Chris.

They were both talking about the giant mess left over, and I took that moment of distraction to slip into the kitchen and put the $500 Tom had made me take in his napkin holder on his kitchen table. He'd probably never notice it there.

Hopefully.

But I didn't do handouts. Of all the things I had been nervous about when agreeing to date Chris, this was at the top of my list. The money thing sort of worried me. I wasn't stupid. I knew how much money these people made, but I was too proud to accept handouts from anyone, and I wasn't about to start going against those rules now. I didn't care that I was dating a millionaire. None of that mattered to me. It was why I hadn't been happy about Chris getting us tickets to the Harry Potter play, especially because I knew from how close we were sitting to the stage just how expensive those had probably been, but he was just as stubborn as I was.

I walked back out of the kitchen to see Tom locking up the apartment. The huge mess was still there. "Do you want me to help you clean up?"

He shook his head. "The cleaning people will be here early in the morning. They let themselves in and will be in and out quickly. They won't go into any of the bedrooms. I have already texted the main supervisor and told them to just focus on the living room, kitchen and main bathrooms."

I nodded as the three of us walked down the hall, and Tom said goodnight to Chris and I as we got to our door. When we went in, Chris shut and locked it and I fell down onto the bed, finally feeling completely exhausted.

"Tired?"

"And so hammered. And stoned. And also really warm." I kicked my shoes off and started taking my clothes off from my prone position on the bed.

Chris laughed as he watched me throw my clothes across the room. I took off my bra, but left my underwear on and then sighed.

"This bed is so comfortable," I muttered before sitting up.

Chris had stripped down to his boxer briefs. Fuck he was so yummy. When he laughed, I realized I said that last bit out loud. Aw, fuck. Oh well. Not like he doesn't already know I think he's yummy since I have hot, steamy sex with the man.

Now Chris was bent over laughing, his hands on his knees, and I realized that all my thoughts had actually been coming out of my mouth.

"Aw, fuck," I said, laughing at myself. "I shouldn't have had so much to drink or the weed gummy. It's the weed gummy." I got up and went to the small bathroom we had. I used it quickly and then washed off my make-up from the night and brushed my teeth. I was glad Max had packed my small overnight bag for me with all of my bathroom essentials.

When I was done, Chris went in and I shut the light off and crawled into bed. I kicked all the blankets down toward the end of the bed and just laid with the sheet covering me.

Chris came out minutes later and got in beside me.

"Evie?"

"Hm?" I was already almost half asleep, but still sort of aware.

"Was this night too much for you?"

I woke up a little bit. "Wait, what?" I turned toward him and looked at him.

He turned toward me and gently stroked my face with his fingers. "I just mean...did I push you into too much with the party and meeting a bunch of my friends?"

I grabbed his hand and kissed his palm gently. "No. I actually had a lot of fun. I was nervous. I can't even tell you the last time I went to a party like that...but it was fun. I really love Mackie. He really dished some dirt on you while he was teaching me to dance."

Chris froze. "Dirt? Like what?"

"That your secret music obsession is Earth, Wind and Fire. Which I vaguely remember reading in some interview that Mackie did about the type of girl who'd be perfect for you, but I forgot about."

Chris grinned. "We both have some strange tastes in music."

"It's only strange to others. Your own taste in music isn't strange to you. Just like mine isn't strange to me. We like what we like."

He kissed me gently. "What else did Mackie tell you?"

"That you only hid your identity from me because you were scared shitless what I'd do when I found out who you really were."

"Mackie fucking talks too much." I loved when he cursed. When he cursed, some of that Boston accent came out and it was adorable.

"Mackie cares about you and doesn't want to see you hurt again."

"Yeah. Just like Max really cares about you and wants to see you happy."

"Did Max give you a talking to?"

"She told me she'd cut off my giant wand if I hurt you."

"Mackie didn't threaten me. He just asked me to please not hurt you."

We were both silent for a minute. "I was really scared," he admitted.

"Honestly, Chris? I'm scared...like currently. This is so new, but I can't deny these strong feelings I have for you. I don't feel like I've only known you for a week. You understand me so well already. Our connection...both physically and emotionally is strong and my brain is still trying to fully catch up. It's scary as hell. What if you wake up and I'm not enough for you? Or say this works...how can we have a normal relationship if we're always hiding?"

Chris sighed and pulled me against his warm body. "Evie, babe, please. I'm not going to wake up one day and change my mind about you. I will do anything you want. We can try going out more in public. Avengers is over, and the paparazzi isn't following me around like before. People recognize me, but if I grow out my hair and beard a little and wear a hat and sunglasses..." I nodded and kissed his stubbly jaw. "I told my publicist that if we can make this work, we have to figure something out."

"You told your publicist about me?"

"Of course. Last weekend. She started somehow seeing the pictures of us cosplaying from your Instagram, and she called me asking if it was me. She wasn't 100% sure if I had gone, but then I told her. She warned me to be careful. Warned me that I had to tell you who I really was, but I told her I needed more time. I was scared you'd run screaming for the hills when you found out."

"I almost did."

"I know. I know, and I'm still so sorry. But, Evie, honestly answer me this. If you had met me say at an autograph table or a photo op...would you have let yourself get that close to me? Would you have talked to me if I tried to get to know you?"

"You wouldn't have even noticed I existed," I stated. I wasn't trying to argue, but I needed to say it.

"No. Cut the crap. Because you know I would have noticed you anyway. I found you in a giant crowd at comic con. I found you. Answer the question."

Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the weed gummy. Or maybe it was the serious tone of this conversation. But I for some reason, stupidly felt tears come to my eyes. "No."

"Right. So I did whatever I could to find you and get to know you before you found out who I really was. I knew more than anything that I wanted to talk to you. And after that first night, I wanted to keep seeing you. I don't want to stop seeing you."

"You didn't let me finish." I pulled away from him and wiped my eyes with my hands, suddenly feeling angry that I was crying. "If you had tried to talk to me at the table or the photo op, I would have been so nervous I wouldn't have been able to breathe properly. I would have thought you were just being nice. That you talked to ALL the fans. What would I have thought if you started flirting with me?? That I was fucking crazy and absolutely fucking delusional."

He sighed and pulled me back to his chest. He wiped my face. "I'm sorry." He kissed me gently.

"We shouldn't have this conversation right now. I'm really not sober enough."

"That's why I'm sorry. Let's go to sleep."

I nodded and kissed him again before turning in his arms. I let him spoon me, his body solid and warm behind mine.

He fell asleep pretty fast, but I laid awake for a little bit. We had only been dating a week. It felt so much longer. I felt like he was my boyfriend...but it was too soon. It was way too soon.

So why after only knowing me for not even 3 days had he told his publicist about me? That was a good sign...right?

I shut off my brain and pushed away all the bad thoughts, the ones that snuck in when I was vulnerable and not paying attention, and finally I was able to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me through this! I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this ride so far.
> 
> As always, Kudos and comments are MUCH appreciated and keep me motivated!


	14. Chapter 14: Girl meets Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Chris spend more time together, and Evie goes to Boston to Chris's house to meet Dodger and make plans for Halloween.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you're all doing well. I wanted to address the fact that although Tom is now in the story, things with him and Evie definitely go slower...mostly because Evie is stubborn as hell...which I'm sure you could already tell. Hang in there! I promise things pick up eventually, but it takes a bit. There's a little bit of a time jump in this but not much. We just fast forward a couple of weeks to Halloween!

The next day we all woke up late, and we were all hung over. Tom had already gotten up and left for the theater since he had to be there super early, but the rest of us had a few hours before the play.

Mackie and Elizabeth were coming to the play too, and I sort of wondered if the two of them were dating or maybe just had crushes on each other. I wasn't sure.

We spent the few hours after we woke up eating, cleaning everything up so Tom didn't have to worry about it, cleaning our bedrooms and then getting ready for the show.

***

After Tom's brilliant show, we went backstage to say congrats to him, but then we had to leave. Max and I had work the next day, and it was already after 5pm. We still had to eat dinner and drive back through the Sunday night traffic to our apartment.

Seb and Max had taken a cab service from our apartment to the city, so they rode with Chris and I in my Jeep.

I was tired from so much excitement happening in one weekend, but it was such a great weekend that I almost didn't care.

When we got back, we ordered dinner, ate it and then we all basically crashed.

Chris and Seb would leave the next day while Max and I went to work. I didn't care if they were in the apartment without us. It wasn't like they were going to rob us or anything.

***

At work the next day, I was busy making up a huge display of Halloween books when my coworker Craig came up to me. Craig was one of the circulation staff that I was sort of friends with. I didn't hang out with him outside of work, but we were at least on friendly enough terms that we talked on Facebook outside of work.

"So, get this. There's this guy in the comic book and graphic novel area asking for you. He's wearing a hat and sunglasses...inside. Who does that? Do I need to call the police? Do you have a stalker?" Craig asked. "You took self-defense didn't you?"

I laughed at Craig and got down from the small ladder. "No police necessary. He isn't a stalker. I'll go talk to him. Thanks, Craig."

I left quickly before Craig could ask more questions, and I walked over to the comic book section to see Chris standing there. He was doing a horrible job being inconspicuous in his jeans, flannel shirt, aviators and baseball cap, and I almost laughed as I saw he was looking at a Captain America comic book.

"Hey," I whispered.

He turned to me and smiled so big at me that I felt the need to put my hand to my racing heart but stopped myself. "Hey. I wanted to see where you worked. I was trying to blend in." His voice was quiet.

"You're doing a terrible job," I whispered. I noticed that a few of my coworkers were slowly pushing book carts past the aisle we were in. I literally rolled my eyes at them. "Come here." I grabbed Chris by the arm and brought him into a different section, one where we were in the corner all the way in the back but I could see clearly if anyone was trying to sneak up on us. I took his sunglasses off his face and kissed his soft lips.

"I wish the weekend wasn't over so quickly," I told him honestly.

He grinned and tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear and pushed my glasses up my nose since they had fallen a bit while I was working. "Do you want to spend the weekend together again?"

I bit my lip. "You don't have any work?"

He shook his head. "Right now I have off until after Halloween. Then there will be a press tour for Knives Out and then I have nothing again until after the holidays. I haven't found any more parts I've been interested in right now, plus I'm sort of hoping maybe a play will fall in my lap and I can do some more Broadway. I can come see you again."

I grinned so big my cheeks almost hurt. "Okay. But let's take it easy this weekend. This last weekend was a lot."

"We can definitely take it easy," he agreed. He pulled me to him and kissed me quickly. "I'm gunna get going. I'm gunna miss you until Friday again though."

I nodded and squeezed his hand. "4 more days," I whispered to him.

"4 days," he said before he put his sunglasses back on and left.

The second I stepped back into my display area, I suddenly had about 5 coworkers grilling me about who my boyfriend was.

I just laughed.

***

The last two weeks had gone flying by. It was the Friday before Halloween, October 25th to be exact, and it had been 3 weeks since comic con when Chris and I met. He had come to our apartment last weekend, and we had stuck true to our plan of just taking it easy.

But this weekend, I was actually driving to see him in Boston. And I was completely freaking the fuck out.

He had invited me to his place, and I was going to meet his dog. That was a huge step. Then he said there was always this big huge Halloween party that his family did, a costume party, and that his mom wanted me to come too.

His mom.

We had been dating for 3 weeks! We hadn't even called each other 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend' yet and now in the same weekend I was meeting his dog and basically his whole family.

Thank freaking god Max was coming. I had taken the Friday off, and Monday as well, so I could drive up there early and spend some time with just Chris before everyone else came. Max and Seb were driving up tonight. They were staying at a hotel close by but we were going to have dinner with them and hang out as well.

I knew Chris's family's party was tomorrow, Saturday, and I also knew that Mackie, Elizabeth, and even Tom were coming. I wasn't sure if any of his other friends were coming, but I didn't want to ask. Meeting his family was going to be scary enough.

I had packed my bags and my car, and the only thing left to do was leave. It was a gorgeous October fall day, with temperatures in the high 50s. I had debated taking the top off my Jeep Wrangler, but knew it would be too cold. I settled for rolling down the windows and blasting my Spotify on my iPod.

Shut up. I still have an iPod, and I was glad I did too since it could connect to the blue tooth in my car and still play Spotify while I could use my phone as my gps. I sort of knew the way since Max and I religiously went to Boston Comic Con, but I knew myself better than to think I could get there without google maps.

The drive took over 4 hours, and the whole way there I listened to my favorite songs and sang at the top of my lungs to help calm my nerves.

When I finally arrived at Chris's small house, I parked behind his blue pick up truck and took a few deep breaths. His house was in a small neighborhood outside of the actual city of Boston. His house was small, but wasn't close to any neighbors. The whole front and back of his house was fenced in with about 8 feet of privacy fencing. I'm guessing the fencing was both for his dog and to give him privacy from the prying outside world.

Chris was waiting for me in the driveway, and he quickly shut the gate behind my car once I turned it off.

I got out and threw myself into his waiting arms, and he lifted me a few inches off the ground as he picked me up and kissed me.

I heard a dog barking behind us, and suddenly there were paws scratching at our legs and jumping up on us.

"Dodger, down boy," Chris said, and the dog immediately stopped jumping on us. Chris put me down on my feet and looked down at his dog. "Dodger, this is Evie. Evie, this is Dodger."

Dodger was as cute as I had seen in all of the pictures Chris had taken with him and had posted to his social media pages. I could see why he had fallen for that adorable fluffy face. I put out my hand for Dodger to sniff, and he walked forward, sniffed my hand, and then started wagging his fluffy tail like a maniac.

I laughed and got down on the driveway on my knees, and Dodger started kissing my face and knocking into me with his body excitedly. I hugged him around the neck, and then Chris was on one knee next to me and Dodger went over to him and kissed him too.

"I don't know why I was so nervous to meet him."

Chris smiled at me and kept petting Dodger. "I told you he would love you."

I rolled my eyes at Chris and got up to get my stuff from the car. I opened my trunk and heard Chris tell Dodger to go do his business.

"Um...did you bring your whole apartment with you?" he asked when he saw how much stuff I had packed into my trunk.

I blushed a little. "But...the costume party. I got us costumes and brought my full cosplay kit with me. I'm going to have to tweak our costumes a bit, and I wasn't sure what Seb and Max were going to wear so the cosplay kit is a must in case of a costume emergency," I explained.

"What about the 2 duffle bags?"

I punched his arm. "Shut up. I'm a girl and don't know what I'm going to want to wear so I brought options."

He threw his head back and laughed, his hand going to his chest. I loved watching him laugh. His beard and hair were growing out too, making him even more handsome if it was even humanly possible. "I don't get girls."

I stuck my tongue out at him as we both grabbed stuff and emptied my car. "Look at it this way. What if you wanted to go out to a nice dinner and all I brought were..." I looked down at my current outfit. "Ripped skinny jeans, worn out t-shirts and custom Harry Potter vans." The shirt was an old CKY shirt I had found for $5.00 in a random store. It was big on me, but I had rolled the sleeves up a bit, cut out the collar to make it fringed looking, and I knotted the bottom of it up to the top of my jeans on one side. I knew wearing shirts that style was old school, but it was comfortable and I loved the shirt.

"Are those really custom Harry Potter vans?"

I nodded and when we got onto his porch, I lifted my foot to show him. "You can go on the vans website and design your own. You can even upload your own pattern, but I liked the one they had already. It has all kinds of symbols and I love the black sole with yellow stripes. Hufflepuff pride and all."

Chris whistled and Dodger came up the porch with us. Chris opened the door to his house and Dodger ran in. I looked around the entryway, and thought the house was really quite cozy looking. I'm not sure what I had been expecting, but this hadn't been it.

The house was small. It had a main floor that had a spacious living room, kitchen, bathroom and what I'm guessing was the guest room/office. I could see big glass doors that led out of the kitchen and to his huge fenced in backyard. I think I figured out why he had bought the house. The huge yard was perfect for a dog.

Chris led me to a door off to the side of the kitchen, and led me down a set of steps to the basement. He'd had the whole basement totally redone to make it into his bedroom. It was pretty big since it was the size of the whole house. He had his washer and dryer underneath the stairs and there were closet doors that covered it up. He had a big bathroom next to the bottom of the stairs, and it had a huge tub as well as a walk-in shower.

He had a big closet set off to the other side of the whole room. His bed was huge, and he had bookshelves lined up on one of the empty walls. I smiled when I saw he now had a complete set of Harry Potter books resting on one of the shelves. He put my stuff down by his dresser that was opposite the bookshelves.

"I love this house."

"Thanks," he grinned at me. "It's not really big, but I just wanted it for the yard for Dodge."

Dodger came running down the steps and launched himself on to Chris's neat and tidy bed with a lion stuffed animal in his mouth.

"Dodge! I just made the bed," Chris said, going over there like he was going to take Dodger off.

Dodger turned over onto his back, paws up in the air and the lion still in his mouth as he literally gave Chris the best puppy-eyed look I had ever seen in my life. Chris quickly snapped a picture of Dodger with his phone, and so did I.

"How can you say no to that face?" I asked, jumping on to the bed with Dodger and snuggling against the furry dog.

"I can't. That's the problem." He pointed to the dog's bed that was on the floor next to the big bed. "He has his own bed, and he insists on sleeping with me."

I laughed and kissed Dodger's snout. "He loves you."

"Well, he's not sleeping on the bed tonight. I've got company."

"Oh, you do, huh? Someone I know?" I shrieked as Chris poked a particularly ticklish spot on my side. "Okay, I know it's me, obviously...but what about Dodge? He's gunna be sad."

At that exact moment, Dodger turned his head toward Chris again and gave him the sad eyes. I leaned my face on Dodger's chest and gave Chris my own attempt at sad puppy eyes too.

Chris took a picture of both of us on the bed, and crawled on to the bed and over to me. "Now I've got two of you giving me sad eyes. How am I gunna get in your pants if he's cock blocking me, hm?"

I moved off of Dodger and lay flat on the bed as Chris got on top of me and started kissing me. As if to prove Chris's point, Dodger chose that moment to bark and bounce up on the bed. He did one of those playful things where he bounced down onto his front paws, his butt sticking up in the air. He nudged Chris's face with his nose, and Chris and I broke from the kiss laughing.

"See?"

***

Max and Seb had gotten to Chris's at around 6, and they had brought pizza with them. We chowed down, drank a few beers and were now hanging out and watching The Little Mermaid.

I know that's totally random, but Chris actually is obsessed with Disney, so my ideas for our costumes tomorrow were Ariel and Prince Eric. I was watching the movie for some inspiration with his costume. Mine was ready to go, but I wanted to get his just right.

"Bud, those pants are fine. They fit him great. They're a little short, but he's going to wear boots that will cover that," Max said.

I bit my lip and nodded at her. I handed Chris a pair of black boots to put on, glad I had asked for his shoe size when I went shopping at thrift stores throughout the week looking for items that I could use for our outfits. I had Chris already in the blue pants and black boots, and now I was putting some blue material over the top of his boots just like Prince Eric. I concentrated on sewing for a few minutes, and then realized that everyone was quiet.

"Why did you all stop talking?" I asked.

"Because you started singing and it was beautiful," Chris said, staring down at me. I looked up at him. "I knew you could sing but didn't realize how beautiful your voice is."

I was blushing as Max said, "That's because she is normally singing trash like Post Malone or Cardi B. Those don't highlight her voice at all. She can sing. She used to be in chorus."

"Chorus?" Chris asked.

I bit my lip and nodded, trying to keep concentrating on sewing. I hadn't realized I had been singing out loud, but what else does one do when 'Part of Your World' comes on? You sing it.

I brought out some red fabric to make the cloth around his waist to match Prince Eric's outfit. I measured his hips and then went to work cutting fabric and sewing it. "Will you put on the white shirt please?" I asked him as I finished up with the red fabric.

He did as I asked and then I had him slip the red fabric up his feet and legs to his hips. I adjusted the fabric and then unbuttoned a few of the buttons of his shirt and rolled up the sleeves.

"What do you think?" I asked. I took a picture of him since he didn't have a full length mirror anywhere in his house. I was mortified when I found out and told him I would find him one at a yard sale.

"You definitely look like Eric," Seb said. "Your hair isn't as dark, but it's close enough."

"We could use spray dye that washes out after like 2 washes," Max suggested.

I shook my head as Chris answered her saying, "We can't mess with my hair color. Next weekend I start the press tour for 'Knives Out'."

"It washes out," she said.

"It's fine. His hair is dark enough. I'm not doing anything to my hair either," I told her.

"You're not even going to wear the red wig?" Seb asked.

"She doesn't want to meet his family for the first time in a 'ridiculous red wig'," Max said, quoting what I had told her when I was planning the costumes. "Trust me, when you see her outfit, only an idiot wouldn't guess that she was the Little Mermaid."

I stuck my tongue out at her and helped Chris out of the outfit. Relax. He was wearing boxer briefs and couldn't give a shit if Max or Seb saw him in them. I didn't want him to rip anything. I carefully hung it up as Chris put his sweats and t-shirt back on.

"What about you two?" I asked Seb and Max as I started packing my kit back up.

Dodger slowly walked over to me and sat next to me on the floor while I put stuff away as if he was waiting for me to get done.

"Captain America and Peggy Carter."

I froze and looked up at Chris. "Um...why didn't we just do that?"

He laughed and grabbed my now packed up kit and put it in his coat closet along with our costumes. "You suggested the Little Mermaid and your brain took off from there. We could have done something else."

"But you love the Little Mermaid."

"Can you please not tell someone like Max such information about me?" Chris asked, laughing at the smirk on Max's face. "She'll use it against me."

"Who...me?" Max looked all innocent.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, anyway, if you guys want to come here tomorrow to get ready I can help with whatever."

Her and Seb started slipping on their shoes and putting on their coats. "What time is your family's party again?" Seb asked.

"We have to be at my parents' by 5 which means we gotta be there by 4 or Mom will make us feel guilty about not getting there early to help with set up."

"Got it. Be here at...2?" Seb suggested.

Chris nodded and we said our goodbyes as they left.

I walked over to the couch with Dodger close on my heels, and when I sat down in the middle, he immediately jumped up and rested on my lap.

"Wow. Looks like I have serious competition for your attention now," Chris stated as he sat on my other side. He pulled me against him, and I leaned into his warm body and kept a hand on Dodger's head, petting him softly.

"Yeah and also, I think Dodger likes me better," I said with a laugh.

Chris tickled me. "You're sooo mean."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you guys like that one? I thought this one was really cute! Don't worry...smutty times ahead! And Evie will be meeting his family soon...............
> 
> Comments and kudos, PLEASE!


	15. Chapter 15: Sex, Secret Coffee Spots, and Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things with Evie and Chris get a little steamy, and something happens that makes Chris upset.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! There's some steaminess ahead so be prepared!
> 
> Hope everyone is doing well <3

Chris and I had let Dodger out and were now getting ready to go to bed. I was really nervous about tomorrow, and Chris knew that.

He had locked up the house and turned out the lights, and we went down to his room with Dodger and his lion in tow.

Dodger actually laid on his dog bed and went right to sleep. Chris said he'd probably eventually join us in the bed, but I was fine with that. Chris also left the door at the top of the stairs open in case Dodger wanted to roam the house or go get water.

I sat on Chris's bed and set my glasses on his nightstand. I had also taken off my sweatpants and now just had his t-shirt on and a pair of underwear.

Chris used his bathroom first, and then I went in to do my nightly routine.

When I came out, Chris was sprawled out on his big bed, naked and waiting for me. When he came over my place last weekend, I had of course had my period so we didn't do much in the way of anything sexual. I had tried to convince him to let me at least give him a blowjob, but he had said that wasn't fair to me so he didn't want to make me do that.

Thankfully, my period was over by Wednesday. Chris and I had tried some very embarrassing phone sex that ended badly, but then we video chatted and well...figured it out a little better.

I blushed slightly as I remembered using a vibrator on myself while he watched and jerked himself off. Just the memory of it made me get excited. I was just glad I was getting him for real this weekend. My body had missed him and his touch.

I stripped off his shirt and shimmied out of my underwear before joining him on the bed. He reached over and grabbed a condom out of his box before turning off his light. There was still some dim lighting in the room from the stairwell. He kept the kitchen light on upstairs for Dodger.

"I need you," he muttered, his body already hard and ready. My pulse sped as he quickly rolled the condom on.

"I need you too," I whispered before he positioned himself above me and kissed me deeply.

I sighed and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, putting as much into the kiss as I could. He leaned some of his weight on me, but held most of himself up by leaning a forearm on the bed. His right hand went between my legs, and 2 of his long fingers entered me suddenly.

I gasped and pulled away from the kiss.

"Hold on a sec," he mumbled, reaching over into his bedside drawer for a second. I think he had gotten out a bottle of lube, because next thing I knew, he was rubbing something cool and wet along my sex and pumped 2 fingers into me again.

My breath quickened as he positioned himself above me again, took his fingers out of me and replaced them with the tip of his cock. He entered me in one long, slow thrust, and I moaned loudly into the room.

"Shit," he cursed, making himself stay still for a second.

The second he paused was all it took for me to catch him unaware and flip us over. "Let me be on top...please," I begged him and without waiting for an answer, I leaned my hands on either side of his head and started a fast, desperate pace.

His hands were on my hips, helping me thrust up and down on him. I was mad with need, and I could tell he was too. It was only a few minutes before my first orgasm slammed into me, my body squeezing tight over him.

He was cursing over and over as I slowly kept thrusting down on him, slowly riding out my orgasm with him still in my body. I barely had any time to recover before he took control of my hips and started slamming me down on him.

I sat up straight on him and let him control my hip movements. My right hand slid between my legs to my clit, and my left went to my breasts to tug at my nipples. The sight of me touching myself drove him even more mad.

He slammed my hips down hard and fast on him, and when the second orgasm finally hit me, my head threw back and I screamed into the room. My body clenched on him as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over me.

Chris shouted loudly and thrust up into me so hard it almost hurt. I cried out, and knew that what he did had hurt more than he had meant it to.

"Fuck," I cursed, hissing in pain as the orgasm started fading away.

He reached over and fumbled with the light on his bed as I very carefully pulled off of him. There was just the tiniest bit of blood on the tip of the condom, and I winced. Chris saw it and immediately panicked. "Are you okay? Aw, fuck, Eve. Did I hurt you?"

He rushed from the bed before I could answer and came back with a warm washcloth and the used condom in a tissue. "Babe, I'm sorry," he said, kneeling next to me on the bed. He pressed the wash cloth to me, and since it was white, he saw blood on the cloth when he pulled it away. "Fuck, I did hurt you."

I shook my head, not wanting him to be upset, but when I shifted my lower body, it stung in a way that I couldn't explain. It was worse than being sore from just a thorough love making, but I had definitely felt worse than this when I went to the gynecologist for my yearly exams.

He pressed the compress in my hand for me to hold it to myself and he quickly went to clean himself up. When he came back, I could see the worry on his face as he looked at the condom in the tissue again. "Babe-"

"Chris," I finally said, my voice a little pained. "I'm fine."

"But-" He looked so sad, like he couldn't believe he had actually made me bleed.

"Chris, babe, look you're...ya know...big. Okay? And you just thrust a little too hard and went deeper than you have previously. It wasn't even as bad as when I have to get a yearly gynecological exam."

"Why did you bleed though?"

"It can happen." I took the white wash cloth to use again and the blood was already gone. I got up and walked a little more carefully than normal to the bathroom and put the wash cloth in his hamper. I opened my toiletry bag I had put on his sink and used a few wipes to clean myself up from the lube, my own cum and the blood. I realized Chris was standing in the doorway watching me.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

I finished what I was doing and put on a pair of black cotton underwear in case the bleeding wasn't fully done. I kissed him softly on the lips. "Chris, please don't freak out about it. I promise I'm okay and will just be a little more sore than normal tomorrow. Let's go to bed, okay?"

He nodded and then used the bathroom quickly before joining me back in bed. He was wearing a pair of boxers, and he turned out the light before cuddling into my body. My back was to him, so I let him spoon me. I loved sleeping with him like this. It made me feel so safe. 

I started quickly drifting off to sleep, but not before I felt Dodger get into bed and cuddle against me.

***

The next day, I woke up to someone kissing my face. It was Dodger.

I laughed and opened my eyes to see the basement flooded with the light of the morning. I tried to feel for Chris behind me, but found he wasn't there in the bed. I turned over and he had put a note on the nightstand that he had gone for a run and would be back soon.

I laid there and looked at Dodger, and he kissed me again. "Hey, buddy. Gimme a minute and I'll let you out, okay?"

His ears perked up at the word 'out', and he started wagging his tail and jumping from the bed to the floor and back to the bed excitedly as I got up. I winced a little, still feeling a little sore, but I'd had worse cramps than this so I just did my best to ignore it. I put on my glasses and changed into a pair of fresh underwear, my sweat pants, no bra and Chris's shirt that I had worn when we were relaxing last night. I slipped on my Vans and went up the steps with Dodger.

I opened the glass door in the back of his house and shivered at the cold that hit me. Dodger ran out the back, and I quickly grabbed one of Chris's sweat jackets from his closet and put it on before going outside.

Chris's backyard was gorgeous. The fencing was flawless and beautifully white, and the deck off the back of his house was large and had several chairs. There was also a porch swing which I decided to sit on and wait for Dodger to finish his business.

After a little while, I went inside to get coffee, which Chris had thankfully made before his run. I made it how I liked it, and took it back out to the porch swing.

I put the hood up on the sweatshirt and let the sleeves hang over my hands as I held the cup, trying to warm up from the chill morning air. Dodger was finished doing his business and sniffing around, so he joined me on the swing, his head in my lap and he was partially sitting on my legs. He was keeping me warm.

This was so peaceful. This neighborhood was so nice and quiet, unlike my own, and sitting here on the swing, slowly swinging it with Dodger and I on it while I sipped coffee was so relaxing.

I don't know how long we were sitting there, but that's how Chris found us when he came back from his run.

"I see you found my secret coffee spot," he said, a cup of coffee in his hands. He was wearing a pair of very light-weight pants and a t-shirt that had sweat stains from his run. He had put a hoodie on, but didn't zip it up. He was still sweating from his run a little bit, and he wiped at the beads of sweat on his forehead with the bottom of his shirt.

I moved my feet for him to sit on the swing, and then he pulled my feet and ankles onto his lap. He gave Dodger a few pats on the head and then started sipping his coffee as he started to swing us, using his feet on the deck for leverage.

"This is beautiful," I told him.

He turned to me with a breathtaking smile on his face. "It really is. I much prefer this to my place in L.A. It is nothing like this. I actually uh...just put it on the market this week."

I looked at him in shock. "But why?"

He sighed and took a long sip of coffee before putting his empty cup on the railing of the deck. He put one hand on Dodger and the other hand on my leg. He slid his hand beneath the leg of my sweats and rubbed my skin. His hand was warm, and I leaned closer into his touch. "I hate it there. Dodger hates it there. I hate flying him back and forth. It's better here for him. I love Boston, and so does he. Plus I have family that can watch him instead of having him go to a kennel. It makes it easier on me when I have to be on a press tour like the next few weeks."

I nodded. "It makes sense then."

"It was too big for me anyway. It was a ridiculously large apartment with no yard."

"I'm sure Dodger appreciates this yard."

Chris nodded and then looked over at me. "Did you sleep well?"

As if on cue, I yawned and stretched. I put my empty mug on the railing, and cuddled closer to Dodger. "I slept perfect. I had 2 men keeping me warm."

Chris smiled, but then looked serious again. "And are you feeling...um...better?"

I knew he wasn't going to let it go this morning. "Chris, what is it going to take to prove I'm really okay? I promise you, if you really hurt me that badly, I would tell you. We just have to be careful in certain positions is all. At least until I fully get used to your um...size."

"I just got worried because that didn't happen the first few times we had sex," he said, his face blushing a little.

I got off the swing and moved Dodger over a little so I could sit next to Chris and lean against him. "Well, last night we had been a little...desperate. It had been like 2 weeks since we last had sex. Plus the first few times we've been pretty careful with each other."

"Not that night when you...um..." He rubbed the back of his neck, his whole face bright red now.

"You weren't going as deep that night. That position was actually perfect. It made you not only stay shallow with your thrusts, but also let you go to town on me a bit."

Andddd now I was blushing.

"Okay, change of subject," I announced, getting off the swing. "What do you have to eat? I'm starving."

He laughed at the abrupt subject change, but finally let it go. "Come on."

The three of us went into the house and he put food out for Dodger first. Then Chris made us a wonderful breakfast of pancakes and bacon.

Seb and Max weren't coming until 2, and right now it was only 9.

After we cleaned up from breakfast and let Dodger out again, we went back down to his room.

"I really need a shower," he said, starting to peel off his sweaty clothes, making my pulse quicken.

Would I ever get used to watching him strip naked?

Nope.

"I could use a shower too," I said.

He stood up straight and turned toward me. "Hm...how about a bath then? I've never tried it."

"You've never tried your own giant tub? You're insane," I told him as I took off my own clothes. Well actually, only half the clothes I was wearing were mine. The rest were Chris's.

Chris and I took turns using the bathroom, separately of course, while the tub filled up. I put in just a little bit of bubble bath to get some suds, but not a lot.

When the tub was ready, we both got in and sighed as our bodies entered the warm water.

"Oh, this is wonderful," I said with a big sigh.

"Mmmm," was all he said as he pulled me over to him in the water. He sat me between his legs and kissed the top of my head as he wrapped his arms around me.

We sat like that for a few minutes in silence, just enjoying the tub and each other's company. We then started washing each other and did our hair, but I still wasn't ready to leave the tub when we were done.

I turned in the water and straddled his lap, pushing my breasts close to his face.

"Evie, we should be care-"

I put a finger to his lips. "Just...stop. We don't have to have sex. But I need something right now," I said, my voice a breathless whisper. I kissed him slowly and deeply, playing with the wet hair on his head. He kissed me back just as passionately, his hands roaming my whole body.

He lifted me easily out of the water and sat me on the ledge behind the big tub. I yelped as my butt touched the cold tile. My feet were still in the water though, so I didn't get cold.

"What can I do to you without hurting you?" he asked, tenderly stroking the side of my face.

"Just no sex and don't finger me," I told him.

He got a mischievous glint in his eye. "Okay," he said before kneeling down in the water.

Chris opened my legs wide and leaned between them. I gasped when the stubble of his beard grazed against my sensitive skin. His tongue licked me in long, slow strokes at first. I tugged on his hair and arched my back, moaning into the bathroom which caused my voice to echo a little.

He reached up to grab my breasts, his fingers running over my nipples until they became hardened points. My body was so responsive to him, and he knew it too. He groaned as my body got slicker for him, and he started licking me with faster strokes. I gasped when he sucked on my clit.

"Chris," I choked out. He looked up at me from between my legs, and then started ravaging me with his mouth.

He pushed his thumb against my clit, his other hand still playing with my breasts. I felt the dam suddenly break, and I yelled out as my orgasm slammed into me. Chris kept going, drawing out the orgasm. I pulled him off of me by his hair when I couldn't take anymore, and let myself slide back into the water, feeling completely boneless.

Chris pulled me on to his lap in the water again and kissed my shoulder and neck gently. "Enjoy that?"

"Mmm," was all I said as I leaned against his body. I could feel that he was very hard pressed against my back.

I let myself relax just a minute longer, and then I turned and straddled his lap again. I kissed him and started gently stroking his cock with my hand, making him groan. I moved off his lap and he stood up in front of me. I looked up at him before moving my mouth over the tip of his cock.

His hands gripped my wet hair, trying to urge me to take more of him in my mouth. I obliged and started moving my mouth up and down his hard shaft. His hips were moving in time with my mouth, and I dropped my hands from his legs and let him thrust himself in and out of my throat. He groaned loudly and thrust deeper into my throat.

I fought my gag reflex like a son of bitch, wanting to make this good for him. When it became too much for me, I pushed him back so he would sit on the edge of the tub like I had, and started using my hand on him as an extension of my mouth so I wouldn't have to keep trying to deep throat him.

Soon enough, he started moaning louder and gripping my hair harder, his body tensing up in preparation for his release. I grabbed his balls with my other hand and gently squeezed them, taking him as deep into my throat as I could and sucking hard on him. He shouted and I felt the hot spurts of cum hit the back of my throat. I swallowed it down, helping him ride out his release before I slowly pulled off of him.

He was leaning against the tiled wall and breathing heavily. "Fuck," he said with a laugh, his hand going to his chest which was heaving with the effort to breathe.

I sat back into the water and smirked at him. The water was starting to almost get cold, so I pulled the lever that would drain the tub and stood up. "Come on. We should dry off and spend some time naked in the bed together."

He actually laughed at me as we got out. "I thought you said no sex?"

"I don't think you can recover that fast. I just thought we could cuddle...naked."

He shook his head and handed me a towel. "You're insatiable."

"Are you really going to complain about that?"

"No fucking way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always...kudos and comments much appreciated!


	16. Chapter 16: "Awesome! You're like...a wizard!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie finally meets Chris's family, and some Halloween fun begins!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys.
> 
> Just real quick...Chris's parents ARE divorced, which I sort of thought while writing this way way back when I started it, but I wasn't absolutely sure until I had already written this and I just didn't feel the need to change it. I used his real siblings, but the kids I changed around a bit as this is FICTION. I'm happy with what I've done, and I hope you guys are too.
> 
> How is everyone doing out there? I stocked up on some much needed alcohol this weekend...and I got a Captain America mask off of Etsy to help med work in style (we have to wear masks everywhere now...and I'm still working but thankfully don't have to go in every day and can work from home some of the days too.)
> 
> Stay healthy out there, everyone!

We were on our way to Chris's parents' house, and I was back to basically having near panic attacks at this point. Chris was driving his truck with Seb in the front, and I was in the back with Max and gripping her hand tight in mine.

"Bud, you gotta relax. It's gunna be fine. They're going to love you," she was whispering to me. I didn't want Chris to overhear us since he was playing music up front and talking quietly with Seb. Dodger was also coming with us, and he was sitting in the back with Max and me with his head in my lap.

Chris slowed down and pulled into the driveway of a big house. He turned off the car and turned back toward us, but frowned when he saw how hard I was gripping Max's hand. "Aw, shit, Evie." He quickly got out of the truck and opened my door, making sure Dodger didn't jump out just yet. He took my face gently in his hands and rubbed my cheeks with his thumbs. "Babe, look at me." My eyes locked on his. "Breathe in slow, let it out slow." We took a few deep breaths together. "Okay, now keep breathing slow, but look around. Tell me five things you can see."

I kept taking deep breaths and looked around the car. "Your radio, Max's bag, Dodger, your little Captain America bobble head on your dash, and your face."

"Four things you can touch."

I kept slowly breathing and closed my eyes for a second. "You, Dodger, Max's hand, and my skirt.

"Three things you can hear."

I kept my eyes closed and took a few deep breaths, concentrating on the sounds. "Dodger is panting because he is excited to see your family. I hear kids playing and yelling. I hear traffic and the sounds of car horns in the distance."

"Two things you can smell."

I felt a smile work it's way onto my face. "Your cologne. And Seb's, but yours is better."

Max laughed from beside me.

My eyes were still closed, but I felt Chris lean in very close to my lips. When he spoke, his lips actually brushed mine. "One thing you can taste."

I took another deep breath and kissed him softly. "Your lips," I whispered, and then opened my eyes.

Chris's eyes were so close to mine, I had to focus to see them clearly. I adjusted my glasses, and he moved his hands from my face to my shoulders. I was wearing one of his sweatshirts again since my costume required a tank top, but it was too cold to just be out with nothing on. When we got inside, I would take it off. The party was going to be inside anyway since it was so chilly.

"Did that help?" he asked.

I nodded. "It really did. Where did you learn that?"

He helped me out of the car as Max and Seb got out on their side. Dodger ran out and up to the front door, barking excitedly. "I have suffered from depression and panic attacks for a long time. It's a trick I picked up." The front door opened, and an older woman stepped out and got attacked by Dodger kisses. "You'll be fine. I am not going to leave your side, okay? I'm right here," he whispered, squeezing my hand.

Sebastian and Max were already on the steps, and Seb was introducing Max to Chris's mom. I clutched Chris's hand as we walked up the steps.

"Max, it's so nice to meet you. I've been hearing a lot about you and Evie from the boys." She hugged Max and then looked over at Chris and I.

Chris's bright smile almost knocked me down the steps. "Hey, Ma."

"My boy," she said, grabbing him in a huge hug. "Is this Evie?"

I took a deep breath. This was it.

"Yeah, Ma. This is Evie. Evie, this is my mom."

I smiled at her. "Hi, Mrs. Evans. It's so nice to meet you. Thank you for inviting us to your party."

She smiled at me, and I could see where Chris got his disarming smile from. "Oh, please call me Lisa, and I'm happy to have you." She hugged me to her and then grabbed my shoulders. "Chris has told me a lot about you."

I blushed a little. "He's told me a lot about you, too." She grabbed my hand out of Chris's and squeezed it.

"Come and meet everyone else and then maybe you can help with the decorating. I could use another creative eye."

I felt so much tension drain from my body, and I turned back to grin at Chris. We followed Lisa into the house, and were introduced to his father (who went by the name Robert), his sister Shanna and her husband Mike and their two kids Ian and Emily, his sister Carly and her husband Shane and their two girls Madison and Lindsay, and finally his brother Scott.

The kids were all aged 6 and under, and they went off into a different room to play while we finished up the decorating.

Everyone was in costume already. Lisa and Robert were dressed as Carl and Ellie from 'Up', Shanna and Mike were dressed as Snow White and Prince Charming, Carly and Shane were dressed as Woody and Bo Peep from Toy Story, and Scott was dressed as Flynn Rider. Man this family really loved Disney... I was glad that Chris and I had chosen Disney costumes.

The kids were dressed up too. Ian (6 years old) was dressed as Thor...his favorite Avenger which Chris took great offense to but took it in good stride. Thor was pretty awesome. Emily (4 years old) was dressed as Rapunzel, Madison (5 years old) was dressed as Pocahontas, and Lindsay (3 years old) was dressed as Moana.

"Wait, I want to see Evie's costume fully," Scott suddenly said, coming over to where I was standing.

"Oh...um sure." I had forgotten to take the sweatshirt off. I took it off and handed it to Chris who hung it on a hook by the front door.

"Wow," Scott said, grabbing my hand and making me twirl around. "You made this yourself?"

I bit my lip and nodded. I had found green sparkly fabric at a store and had made the skirt to look like Ariel's fin. I tailored the skirt to come up above my belly button and fitted it through my waist and hips and down my legs. When the skirt got to my knees, it flowed out around my legs in strips of glittery green fabric down to my feet. I had used fabric paint to make it look like there were fish scales on the skirt. For shoes, I had just put on gold colored flip flops. I didn't want to just wear a clam shell bra, so I made it a little more tasteful by just using a bright purple tank top that went to the top of the skirt. The tank top was fitted too, but I made sure it wasn't so low cut since there were going to be kids.

I had made a cute clam shell the size of my hand out of gold fabric and had glued it to the skirt. I also left my hair down and wavy and had put a starfish clip on one side of my hair and had done just very little make-up to complete the look.

"That is very talented. It's a beautiful costume," Lisa said, her hands reaching down to touch the skirt. "You made Chris's costume too?"

"Yeah. His was easier. I just had to find stuff at the thrift store for him. All I had to make were the cuffs on the boots and the red fabric around his waist, but that was easy too. Mine took a little longer," I said with a laugh.

"Well, you look beautiful and my boy looks so handsome." She looked over at Seb and Max. "You two look great too."

Max laughed. "We put zero effort into these costumes. I bought ours from a costume shop since Seb can't really wear Chris's super hero suit he has. Seb's thinner than Chris."

Everyone laughed and we went back to work before the guests would arrive. We were almost done and only had about 20 minutes before everyone else would arrive when Emily, the one dressed as Rapunzel, came into the room crying and yelling. She ran into Shanna's arms.

"Baby, what's the matter?" Shanna asked her, rocking her back and forth.

Her little hand held out the toy chameleon, Pascal, that had once been attached to the shoulder of her costume. Through the tears I was somehow able to make out, "...tripped over Maddie's leg. Ian grabbed me so I wouldn't fall, but my dress ripped and Pascal came off. My costume is ruined!" She was back to hysterical tears, and I went into my costume emergency mode.

I walked over to Shanna. "Hey, I can help."

Shanna gave me a pleading look. "Please. She has been excited about this costume for weeks."

I nodded and patted Emily's back. "Hey, Emily. I can help fix your dress, sweetie."

Emily sniffed and looked at me. "You can? Can you put Pascal back on?" She wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands.

I bit my lip and nodded. "Yeah, I think so. I'll be right back." I grabbed Chris's keys from the counter and went to his car. This is why I always had an emergency cosplay kit.

When I came back in the house, Emily was sitting on the kitchen table and waiting for me. She was still crying a little bit, but I wiped her eyes and face with a tissue for her and opened my kit up. I got out some pink thread and a sewing needle. "Okay, Emily. You promise to stay really really still? It will only take a minute to sew."

"You won't hurt me?" she asked me in a tiny voice.

"I promise I won't hurt you, but don't move, okay?"

She nodded, and I knew mostly everyone was watching us, but I ignored it as I concentrated on the task at hand. I very fast and efficiently sewed the seam of her shoulder back up. I knotted the end of it and cut the thread.

"Can I move now?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I still have to attach Pascal back on your shoulder."

She watched me look through my kit and look at Pascal. He had also been sewn on to the dress, but I felt like that could rip again easily and we'd have another incident. I thought for a second about what to do, and then grabbed some velcro. On the shoulder she hadn't ripped, I put a strip of velcro down and let the glue attach to the dress. I then put the other strip of Velcro on Pascal, but this one I also added a few strong stitches to just in case. I put Pascal on her shoulder and then took him back off, making that sound that velcro makes when you undo velcro shoes.

"Look," I showed her. "Pascal can come on and off your dress now. You can take him off to show anyone you want or so you can play with him, and when you're done you just have to stick him back on your shoulder and he will stay."

"Wow!" she said. "Thank you, Evie!" She hugged me around the waist and I hugged her back. "Will you fix my hair too?"

I laughed. "Of course." I quickly braided her hair neater than it had been and put some pins in to help hold it a little better. I added some flowers I had in my kit to her hair as well as some strands of purple ribbon and silver tinsel which I added to her braid. When I was done, I showed her my mirror and she gasped when she looked at herself.

"I look so pretty!"

"Of course you do! You're the prettiest Rapunzel ever." I picked her up off the table and put her down. "Be careful with your arm that you already ripped, but I promise I'll be here all night and if something else rips I can fix it, okay?"

She nodded and flung herself into my arms and hugged me tight. I hugged her back and squeezed her tight for a moment.

When Emily left the room, I had the whole family looking at me with Max and Seb to the side grinning at me. "What?"

But just then, Ian, Madison and Lindsay came flying into the room with Emily behind them.

"Can you do my hair?" Lindsay asked.

"Can you attach Flick to my costume?" Madison asked, holding the little hummingbird Flick out to me.

"I don't have long hair, but I want a braid," Ian mumbled.

"Hey, heathens. Don't just come in barging in here and barking orders at Evie," Scott said, rolling his eyes at them all. "What do you say?"

"PLEASE!" the three kids shouted at me.

I laughed. "Okay! Fine!"

I knew guests would be arriving soon, but Chris told me not to worry since people were usually late. I put Lindsay on the table first, and looked at her Moana inspired costume. She was holding a chicken and a pig in her arms.

"You just want a braid?" I asked her.

"And flowers!"

I nodded and got to work on her hair, braiding it a little different than I had Emily's. I put blue ribbon and silver tinsel in it, and put some blue flowers in her hair to match the water theme.

When she was done, I helped Madison next by braiding her hair too, but she just wanted it plain. I attached velcro to Flick like I had done with Pascal, and attached him to her shoulder.

Then it was Ian's turn. He climbed onto the table himself. His costume was cute, but he was missing something.

"What happened to your cape?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "I lost it."

"Do you want a cape?"

"You can make that?" I nodded and pulled out a big, dark red plain t-shirt I had in my kit. I used it sometimes to cover people's costumes or my own from make-up when I was applying it. It was clean, but I could use it.

I cut the sleeves off with my scissors and cut out just the front part of the shirt. I used my needle and thread, and attached it to the back of his costume by his shoulders. It wasn't perfect, but it would work.

"Awesome! You're like...a wizard!" he said, making me laugh.

"Thanks, buddy. But you also want a braid right?" He nodded and both of us looked at all my stuff sprawled on the table. "Um..."

Max came over to help me. "Are you attached to this blonde wig?" she asked, pulling an old wig out of the bottom of my bag.

I heard the doorbell start ringing, but someone else went to go answer and let people in. "No. It's old and I only wore it once for a Buffy cosplay before I decided I don't like messing with wigs."

Max braided a small section of the wig and used a small rubber band to tie it off. She cut it off of the wig, and thankfully the blonde matched Ian's hair almost perfectly. Between Max and I, we were able to somehow thread the braid into his ear length hair and shield a clip underneath to keep it in. When we were done, he had a long braid tucked behind his ear in a sort of Viking look which fit with the Thor look well, and Ian was beaming at us.

"Thanks!" he said, hugging us both before jumping down and grabbing his fake hammer to spin it around.

"Um...are you a wizard?" Chris asked me, coming over to the table to help me pack up my kit.

I laughed and leaned over across the table to kiss him. "If I am, I still never got my Hogwarts letter."

"Babe, we've been over this," Max teased. "You're 30 and your Hogwarts letter got lost and ain't ever coming."

"Wow, that was harsh," I heard Tom say from behind us. I turned and saw him, Mackie, and Elizabeth in the doorway.

I raised my eyebrows at them. "Really, guys? You couldn't come up with different costumes?" Elizabeth was dressed as Scarlet Witch, Mackie was dressed as Falcon, and Tom was dressed as Loki...black wig and all.

"Hey, I just tried to defend you," he said, giving me a teasing look.

I stuck my tongue out at him and finished packing my kit up. We left it on the kitchen counter in case of any more emergencies, and we went to the big living room where everyone else was.

***

Hours later, I was sitting on one of the couches sipping a beer, laughing at Tom pretending to fight Chris's nephew Ian. Ian kept hitting Tom with his hammer.

"Tiny human, stop that this instant," Tom said in his 'Loki' voice.

Everyone was dying laughing, including me, as Ian ignored him.

Ian finally got Tom to cave and go down to his knees. "I beat you! Now you must be punished, Loki!" Ian said.

"Tiny human, I bow to your fighting skills. What punishment shall I take?"

Ian thought long and hard for a second before looking at me with a smirk so reminiscent of Chris that I grinned. "Evie, will you come here?"

I used Chris's knee to push up from the couch and put my beer down on the coffee table. "What's up, bud?"

Tom looked up at me with an amused look on his face. "You're going to punish me with this fair young mermaid, boy?"

"Evie's not just a mermaid," Ian informed him, putting the hammer under Tom's chin. "Evie is a wizard, and I'm gunna make her braid your hair."

There was an uproar of laughter from everyone else at the party, and Madison brought my kit in from the kitchen and her and the other 2 girls opened it up on the coffee table.

"You want me to braid his hair?" I asked with my eyebrow raised at Ian.

"Yep."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? The trick to help Evie with her panic/anxiety attack IS a real way to help someone having an attack that I researched. I've never used it myself, but I know people who have.
> 
> Anyway...this is just a short and cutesy type of chapter so hope you all loved it!
> 
> Comments and kudos as always! <3


	17. Chapter 17: Princess Wizard Mermaid. Get you a girl who can be all three!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie has some more fun with the kids...
> 
> And later...her and Chris have some adult fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I don't even know what happened to me this week. I'm sorry. I should have posted this days ago! I'll make up for it by posting another chapter tomorrow at some point. Things got away from me this week. Time has absolutely no meaning to me anymore. Oh, and Chris Evans literally broke me today because he joined Instagram and between all of that and then the new episode of Defending Jacob...my brain and my ovaries friggin broke, man!
> 
> ANYWAY...
> 
> SMUT AHEAD! :D
> 
> ENJOY!
> 
> Hope you're all safe and okay <3

Tom let me braid the wig after assuring me he didn't care if the wig got messed up. I put so many braids in and colorful rubber bands. I added ribbon, flowers, tinsel, and even made some of the braids stick up from his head.

When I was done, the kids were rolling around the floor laughing and Chris had fallen off the couch laughing like a lunatic.

We took a few pictures as a joke, and Tom shook my hand. "I have been bested by the wizard mermaid and the son of Odin. 'Twas a fair punishment," he said in his Loki voice and then shook Ian's hand.

"I think Evie is more like a princess," Emily suddenly said, tugging on my skirt.

Tom went back down to one knee to get on Emily's level. I couldn't do that or I would definitely tear my skirt. "You're right, Evie is like a princess too."

"And she's really pretty!" Madison interjected while packing up my kit for me.

"And she is super nice!" Lindsay said, launching herself onto Tom's back. He stood up and laughed.

"You tiny humans are very smart. Evie is very pretty and very nice too. I bet your Uncle Chris thinks so too," Tom looked behind me to Chris.

Chris had come up to stand behind me. "She is the prettiest and nicest girl in the world. And she IS a princess...and a wizard."

"And a mermaid!" Max added from across the room.

I was blushing now, feeling like I had the attention of the whole room and feeling a little embarrassed.

Lisa, sensing my discomfort suddenly said, "Who wants to bob for apples?!" And the entire party trooped into the kitchen where the tubs of water and apples had been set up.

I stayed in the living room with Chris, my face still blushing a little.

"Hey," Chris said, taking my face in his hands and making me look him in the eye. "You're doing great. My family loves you...especially the kids."

Dodger came into the room and sat by our feet.

I smiled at Chris and patted Dodger's head. "Think he has to go out?"

Chris nodded, and the two of us put on our jackets and let Dodger out into his parents' backyard.

We stood on the deck in the cold, and Chris wrapped his arms around me from behind to keep me warm. "You know, you haven't really told me much about your family," he said. I tensed up, and he sensed my uneasiness. "You don't have to. I'm not pushing."

I was quiet for a minute while we stared at the starry sky. "Not tonight," I told him. I turned toward him with a smile. "I really love your family."

He dropped the subject and grinned at me. "You really won the kids over."

"Then my job here is done. I don't care as long as the kids like me," I joked.

"I love those kids," he said, and as if on cue, Emily came running outside and jumped at Chris's legs.

"Uncle Chris! I won. I got the most apples!" she giggled. He lifted her up and spun her around, making her shriek with laughter.

Dodger came back up to the deck and we went inside. Chris still kept holding Emily. "Did you get me an apple? I didn't play the game."

She nodded and handed him the half eaten apple in her hand. She held it to his mouth and let him take a bite, laughing when the juice from it ran down his chin and on her hand. "Uncle Chris! You're making a mess."

He kissed her cheek and put her down, letting her run off to go play again. He wiped his chin and kissed me, and I tasted the apple on his lips.

"So what are you two going to do tomorrow?" Scott asked, coming to stand near us.

Seb, Max, Tom, Mackie, and Elizabeth joined us.

"Probably lots of sex," Max said with a shrug after making sure no kids were around.

Scott made a disgusted face, and Chris and I blushed bright red.

"Shut up, Max," I hissed at her.

"I was actually thinking of taking her to the New England Aquarium," he said.

My eyes went wide. "Really?"

Max laughed. "You're such a dork," she said, leaning her head on Seb's shoulder.

I stuck my tongue out at her. "You still love me."

"Yeah, I do for some weird reason," she said.

"Do you guys want to come with us?" Chris asked them all.

Seb shook his head. "I'm taking Max home in the morning. I have to fly out to L.A. tomorrow."

"Us too," Mackie said, gesturing to him and Elizabeth. "Marvel shit," he explained when Chris looked at him in question.

Tom also declined. "I have another show tomorrow, so I actually am driving back tonight."

"Plus, you two need to spend some time together alone. This is your last weekend together for a few weeks, right?" Max asked.

I actually felt sadness creep in a little bit, but I tried to ignore it. Things were going so well this weekend, and just in general with Chris and I. I couldn't let myself get upset by him having to work. He was an actor, and he had to go do these things. It was perfectly understandable. I would miss him, and it would suck for a few weeks, but I knew we would talk as much as possible and that we'd be okay.

"Yeah, but the weekend right before Thanksgiving, the movie will premiere in New York so I will be able to see her then. It will only be 4 weeks."

I tried to keep the smile on my face. "4 weeks isn't so bad."

It was only 4 weeks. 4 weeks of not seeing him. 4 weeks of not touching him. 4 weeks without feeling his body against mine. 4 weeks without hearing and seeing his beautiful smile and laugh in person. 4 weeks without...

Aw, fuck. I had to control myself better than this. This was his job. This is what he had to do for work. I had to keep it together or this relationship would never work.

Tom smiled sort of sympathetically at me. "It gets easier," he told me.

Chris squeezed my hand and kissed my cheek.

***

The party ended shortly after, and Seb and Max rode back with us to Chris's. I sat in back with Dodger and Max again, and shortly after we got back to Chris's, Max and Seb went back to their hotel.

Chris fed Dodger and let him out while I carefully put our costumes away. Chris was walking around in his underwear, and I was only wearing a pair of small black booty shorts. I had a strapless bra on under my outfit, but I took it off almost as soon as we got in the door because it was uncomfortable.

I used his upstairs bathroom quickly, and when I was done, I opened the door and took the make-up off of my face. When I put my glasses back on, I saw Chris staring at me through the doorway from across the hall.

"Are you still sore?" he asked, his voice low and husky with lust.

I shook my head at him, feeling my heart speed up. "No."

He took my hand and shut off the bathroom light before leading me down the steps to his room.

I took off my glasses, and both of us slid out of our underwear. I watched as he took a thick blanket out and spread it over the bed. I raised my eyebrow at him, and he blushed a little.

"Um...I want to try that one position again. The one you said was perfect," he muttered as he dug a condom out of his nightstand.

Now I blushed, but I moved over to the bed and laid myself down on it. "Okay."

He crawled on the bed and kissed me. We rolled around on the bed, just making out for a while and letting our hands roam each other's bodies.

I scratched at the short beard on his face, and tugged on his wavy hair. The hair on his chest brushed my nipples, making them stand at attention. He slid one hand between my legs, and gently probed the wet folds of my sex.

I bared my throat to him as he entered one finger inside of me, and his mouth latched to my neck, gently sucking and biting. I definitely wasn't sore anymore, and I was so incredibly thankful for that. More than anything else right now, I just needed to feel him inside of me.

"Chris," I moaned, arching my body into his touches. "Please," I whimpered out.

He growled against my throat, and that was seriously becoming my favorite sound that came out of him. He only did it in bed, but my god was it the sexiest fucking thing ever. He bit a spot on my breast hard, and I yelped, not expecting it. I knew he'd left a mark, but I didn't care.

Chris grabbed the condom from the nightstand and quickly put it on. "I can't wait anymore."

"Me neither," I panted. "I want to try a different position first though."

"Tell me what to do," he said.

"Lie on your back on the bed." He did as I asked, and I straddled his body but faced away from him. My back was facing him, and I turned my face so I could see him out of the corner of my eye as I grabbed his hard cock in my hand and slowly guided myself down onto it.

"Easy," he hissed, warning me to be careful so I didn't hurt myself. It did hurt a little but because I wasn't wet enough yet. I pulled off and grabbed the lube from his nightstand, pouring some in my hand to rub on his cock and on myself. I tried again, and this time he was able to slide into me easier.

His hands were gripping my hips tight, and I locked my knees beneath me and put my hands on his thighs to help steady me.

My heart was pounding as I very carefully pushed down onto him. When he was inside of me as much as he could go, I let my body adjust and moved my hips above him a little bit.

"Holy fuck, Evie," he choked out when I started pulling off of him inch by inch. I pushed back down and then raised back up slowly, using my knees and hands to help me and to help keep him from thrusting upward too hard.

I thought he stopped breathing since all sound from him seized, but then he cursed again.

"Evie, fuck. Babe. God!" He held me still and grabbed something from off of the nightstand. "Do you trust me?" he asked, and the question took me so off guard that I stopped moving.

"Of course," I said.

"Move slow," he said, putting only one hand back on my hips. I pulled off of him again, very slow, and then when just the tip of him was inside of me, I pushed back down.

I went slow a few more times, but then started to move a little faster, my body wanting more. I was moaning loudly, and Chris was cursing beneath me saying, "Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" over and over.

He stopped my hips for a second and repositioned himself so he could sit against the headboard. I stayed facing away from him, and pressed my back against his chest.

I saw his phone resting on the bed, and got confused. "What did you do?" I asked him, sounding out of breath.

"I asked if you trust me. You still do?" I nodded and he opened his phone to a video. "Watch. This was killing me. You have to see this."

He played the video, and I was greeted to the sight of his cock disappearing into my body. He had filmed me slowly fucking him, and the sight of my body slowly pulling off of him and then sliding back down was so hot. I didn't normally like the idea of being filmed during sex, but you couldn't see anything except my ass and his cock really.

My pulse sped up as he played the video again, and I squeezed my body over his cock. I was so horny and ready for him to fuck me.

He stopped the video and turned off his phone before chucking it back on the nightstand. I pulled off of him and he smacked my ass, making me moan.

I crawled toward the end of the bed and stayed on all fours, pushing my ass up into the air. He moved behind me and pushed my shoulders down to the bed. He entered me in one hard thrust, and I screamed into the room.

Chris fucked me like his life depended on it. He was going so fast I could barely keep up, and eventually my knees gave out from underneath me. He lowered his body closer to the bed and grabbed a pillow to put beneath my hips. He kept fucking me hard and fast, every thrust hitting my g-spot.

I tensed my body and helped push my hips back against his. He was gripping my hips so hard I was sure I would have small bruises tomorrow, but I didn't care.

All I could feel was so much pleasure.

I cried out into the bed, making sure I didn't press my face in so I could breathe properly. My face was turned to the side, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see him behind me. His head was thrown back, his eyes shut tight as he grit his teeth.

I moved my hand underneath my body, but he felt me moving around. He looked at me, a crazed, lust-filled look in his eyes. "Wait," he said, grabbing something from the bed and handing it to me.

I hadn't seen it on the bed before, but I took it and realized what it was. He had bought a small vibrator for me, one I could use on my clit.

My pussy rippled over his cock and he choked. "Quick, Evie. I can't last much longer."

I swallowed hard and nodded, turning it on before pushing it against my clit. "FUCK!" I yelled.

And then, I'm still not sure how, Chris started fucking me faster in short but powerful thrusts, each one hitting my g-spot just the right way. I felt the tip of one of his fingers shove into my ass, and I was a goner. I screamed as pleasure exploded from within my body, and Chris echoed my screams as he shoved hard inside of me and finished as well.

He kept stroking over my g-spot, and the vibrator on my clit drew the pleasure out. I dropped the vibrator on the bed beneath me, and Chris pulled out of me. I cried out at the feeling, and then fell limply on the bed. Chris fell to the bed behind me, and both of us just tried to remember how to breathe again for a few minutes.

The vibrator was still whirring under me, and I quickly picked it up and turned it off before flinging it back on the bed, accidentally hitting Chris in the stomach.

"Sorry," I rasped out. My voice had gone hoarse from so much shouting.

"Evie," he whispered, crawling over to me. He pressed his body against the back of mine, and even though we were covered in sweat, lube, cum and whatever else, I didn't even care. "Baby, that was amazing," he whispered in my ear. "So amazing. Fuck, how am I going to be away from you for 4 weeks?"

I smiled and kissed the arm he had propped under my head. "Keep the video, watch it...and remember that when you come back...you get that all to yourself."

He barked out a laugh behind me, as if expecting me not to be so crass. "Oh, Evie," he said, kissing my damp hair. "We need a shower."

"I couldn't agree more."

***

After we had cleaned up the bed, put the blanket in the wash (I had made a bit of a mess again), and showered, I drank some water and we went to bed.

Throughout the night, I woke up to Chris touching my body in his sleep. He was hard as a rock when we woke up, his body pressed against the back of me, and he slipped his cock between my legs and just rubbed it against my drenched sex. I rubbed myself against him, and moaned as he pushed the tip of himself inside of me, but then we both froze.

"Fuck," he said, pulling away from me. "I'm sorry. I'm still sorta sleepy, and I forgot," he muttered, grabbing a condom off the nightstand.

"It's okay. It's fine. I'm on the pill now, but I haven't been on it for even a month yet. We just have to be careful until you get back from your press tour."

He stilled the hand that was rolling over his cock. "You went on the pill?"

I nodded at him. "After that first weekend, I went back on it. Shit happens. Accidents happen. I wanted to just be safe. And I figured...eventually if you didn't want to use condoms, we don't have to."

Chris groaned at the thought and finished rolling the condom on himself. He laid behind me again on his side, and I rolled so my back was to him again. He pulled my leg up and entered me slowly, making me gasp

Man, I could get used to this kind of treatment every night and morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think of this one? Mostly smut haha.
> 
> Comments and kudos as always!!


	18. Chapter 18: "She said you have a big goofy smile...And you called me your girlfriend."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Evie go to the aquarium, Evie tells Chris about her past, and then.....the tabloids catch wind of something that stirs up some trouble for Chris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right from smut into some fluff and drama! Hey...we had to have some more drama at some point! I feel evil but...oh well!

After a morning full of sex, breakfast, and ball throwing for Dodger, we made our way to the New England Aquarium. I was a little worried about the possible crowds of people, but Chris, for once, seemed oddly okay with it.

When I asked him what we'd do if he got recognized, he just shrugged and said, "It'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

He was wearing jeans, a blue flannel, and a 'Live Every Week Like It's Shark Week' shirt with a baseball cap that had a shark on it and blue Nikes. I was wearing a pair of jeans, shark week Vans, my own shark week shirt that had a Great White with it's mouth open on it that said 'Free Hugs', and Chris's sweatshirt. I had been stealing this same one all weekend. It was a plain gray one, and it was huge on me, but I loved wearing it with the zipper open. It smelled so much like him, and he told me I could take it home with me when I left so I'd have it with me for the next few weeks.

We arrived at the Aquarium, and there were barely any people there yet. We got in without anyone running around screaming about Chris Evans, and I realized that some of the staff seemed to know him at least more than just knowing 'oh yeah that's Chris Evans'.

"Do you come here a lot?" I asked him as we started going through the exhibits.

He nodded. "All the kids love this place. I take them at least once a month. I have a yearly pass, and I make multiple donations a year here," he explained.

"I would love to come here with the kids one day," I said with a smile.

He grinned at me and grabbed my hand. "We can definitely do that."

We walked around for hours, and now I understood why he wasn't worried about being recognized. Most people visiting took tours, and the staff were kind enough to keep the tours away from us. If there were people moving independently through the exhibits, they were barely paying us any attention.

We saw so many cool animals! They even had animal encounters and we were able to see some seals up close and feed them. But my favorite was the penguins. I have always loved penguins, and I could literally stand there for hours and watch them.

We kept taking pictures of each other throughout the day, and kept taking pictures together. A few times, we had a staff member ask if we wanted them to take a picture of us. My favorites were one of us standing next to a seal, and then one in front of the penguin tank where the staff member had taken a picture of us from the side and we were watching the penguins swim.

The day was perfect. He only got recognized by about 3 people, but they kept it hushed enough that it didn't turn into a big scene. He took pictures with them and gave them autographs.

One of the people who had recognized him was a young girl in her mid-teens, maybe about 15ish, who seemed to be on a date. She told Chris how much she loved him as Captain America, and then her eyes caught mine from where I was standing a few feet away.

I smiled at her, and she smiled back at me politely. I heard her ask Chris, "Is that your girlfriend?"

Chris looked back at me, and I shot him a smile and stuck my tongue out at him. He laughed and I was rewarded with one of his most captivating smiles. He turned back to the girl, who had been watching us with a soft smile on her face. "Yeah, that's my girlfriend, but we're not ready for the world to know just yet," he told her.

My heart beat frantically in my chest. He'd just called me his girlfriend! Butterflies filled my stomach and my heart soared. 

"I won't tell anyone," the girl said. "Your girlfriend is really pretty. I can tell by the big goofy smile on your face that she makes you happy. When you're ready for the world to know, your true fans will just be happy that you're happy."

I actually felt tears creep into the corners of my eyes, and I walked over to them, linking my arm with Chris's. "Thank you," I told her.

She hugged me, and then hugged Chris, and her and her date parted ways with us.

"She was the sweetest," I told him.

"Most fans are. It's like she said, my true fans will be happy as long as I'm happy."

"She said you have a big goofy smile," I told him with a laugh, reaching up to kiss him. "And you called me your girlfriend."

He grinned at me, and the smile was really goofy this time, making me laugh. "I did."

"That's...a big step. I guess that means I should stop seeing those other guys." I laughed at the dumbfounded look on his face. "I'm KIDDING."

He rolled his eyes at me. "That was mean."

"Mm...it was. I'm sorry. I'll have to make it up to my boyfriend later."

His eyes had so much joy in them. "Boyfriend, huh?"

"Yeah. I mean...only if you want to be."

He pulled me to a stop in the middle of the shark tunnel and kissed me senseless.

"Of course."

***

Later when we were back at his house, we were both relaxing in the living room with Dodger and eating pizza while we watched Hocus Pocus.

The Aquarium had been so much fun, and Chris had bought me a stuffed penguin and a few other fun things. He only let me buy him a shark shot glass. I knew he liked to collect them, but he wouldn't let me buy him anything else.

I knew there were things I had to tell him...things that couldn't wait another 4 weeks until we'd see each other again, but I was scared. I didn't like opening up much about my past.

I put my plate down on the coffee table and leaned into his side. He threw his arm around my shoulders and finished the slice of pizza in his hand.

I absently pet Dodger's head with my hand, and then looked over at Chris. "Yesterday you said I don't talk about my family much."

Chris turned to me. "If it's a touchy subject, you really don't have to-"

I shook my head and cut him off. "No, I want to tell you." I tucked my feet under me and leaned my head against his shoulder.

"Growing up was hard. My dad left when I was young, and my mom really struggled to support us. We lost our house, our car...everything. My dad never cared. I haven't heard from him in years. When we lost our house, we lived in a really small apartment. I felt bad when I went away to college, but my mom urged me to go. I worked as much as I could while going to school and helped send money home. I was lucky enough to get enough grants and loans that I didn't have to pay any money toward school up front. I almost went home when my brother got into some trouble with the law, but my mom wouldn't let me. It killed me that she went through it alone while I was at school, but my mom has always wanted the best for me. There are times where I don't know how I got through school. I went through a lot of depression and anxiety, went to therapy, and I got better, but obviously I still have some issues."

I paused to take a drink of some water. "Max and I graduated and went to grad school together, which was pretty far away. I was so worried about my mom, but the trouble with my brother ended. By the time I graduated from grad school, things looked up. My mom now lives with my brother who is a single dad, and my niece is going to be 2 soon. My mom watches the baby for him while he works, and then she has a night cleaning job a few nights a week and works weekends at Home Depot. Money is tight for them both, but I help out as much as I am able to. I know there are people out there who have had worse lives, and I'm blessed that we haven't had anything truly tragic happen to us, but I don't like to talk about it. A lot of years were very dark, bleak years. Max was the only thing that got me through so many of them. It's why we've just stuck together even after school was over. I don't let a lot of people in. It's hard for me to trust anyone. I know I put walls up, and I know I'm really stubborn. But this is me. Stubborn to the bone about everything. Especially money. I never ask anyone for help. I can do it myself just like I always have."

He looked at me for a long time when I finished. "Is this why you freak out about what I spend when we go out?"

"Yes." I sighed and looked over at him. "I don't mean to be so damn stubborn-"

"But it's in your nature. No, I get it. But look, if we're doing this...and honestly, right now we are doing this...you have to know that I have a lot of money. I'm going to spoil the hell out of you because I want to."

"And you have to understand that I'm always going to fight you on it a little bit."

Chris smiled at me. "I can handle that."

"Just...I don't want to wake up tomorrow to have all of my debts paid off? Do you get where I'm coming from?"

He nodded. "I'm not going to do that to you."

I let out a deep breath I didn't know I was even holding in. "Then let's finish Hocus Pocus so I can have my wicked way with you. This is our last night together for 4 weeks. I'm going to miss my boyfriend."

He grinned at me, and the smile promised sex and so much more. "Have your wicked way with me? Now that is something I can help with."

I shrieked as he started attacking my neck with kisses on the couch.

He spent the whole night showing me how many places there were in his house that we could have sex. It was a great night.

***

It had been 4 weeks since I had last seen Chris. 4 weeks.

They had been a rough 4 weeks. The first week, we talked constantly as long as he wasn't filming something at night. The 2nd week, we started getting desperate and that's when the naughty pictures and videos had started being sent back and forth. Video chats, very sexy phone calls...but it wasn't the same. It wasn't the same as being together. Were we sex addicts? Maybe. Who knows.

The 3rd week we were cranky and didn't talk much because of all the talk shows he was doing. He was on Kelly and Ryan, Ellen, Good Morning America, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O'Brien, and James Corden. The first week he had even been on the Graham Norton show. The movie had already premiered in London and in L.A., and now this coming weekend it would premiere in New York.

It was Wednesday of the 4th week, and thank god it was only 2 days until I would be seeing him again. He was still doing magazine interviews and some small stuff, so I was surprised when he called me.

"Hey," I answered, rubbing sleep from my eyes. It was Midnight and I had just fallen asleep.

"Hey!" he yelled, and I could hear loud music in the background. "I wanted to say hi."

"I can't really hear you," I told him, yawning.

"Hold on." He must have ran outside because a few minutes later, it got relatively quiet.

"Where are you?" I asked him.

"Still in L.A. I'm actually meeting with the realtor tomorrow because someone is interested in buying my place out here, so I'm staying an extra night."

"That's great." I yawned again. "Chris, it's late here, I have to get up early for work."

"Aw, fuck," he said. "I forgot. Babe, I'm sorry. I just wanted to hear your voice. I really miss you."

I sighed and laid down with the phone clutched to my ear. "I miss you too," I whispered, feeling tears come to my eyes. I had gotten my period this week, and was feeling extra emotional about everything. "2 more days," I choked out.

He sighed, hearing that I was choking up from tears. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

"It's fine. I'm just...ya know it's that time of the month, and I feel miserable and I just want to be cuddled up to you."

"2 days, babe." Someone was shouting his name from the background. "I gotta go, but I promise these 2 days will fly by."

"Okay. Bye, Chris."

"Bye, Evie."

We hung up, and thankfully it didn't take long for me to fall back asleep.

***

The next day, I got up, got ready, and went to work like normal. I was getting some displays ready for Thanksgiving the following week, and once that was done I started cataloging some books in my office.

My phone buzzed, and I looked at it. Max had texted me. 'Are you okay?'

I frowned. 'Why wouldn't I be okay?'

I saw her type back, the 3 dots appearing like she was typing. She stopped, and then started again, and I stared at my phone growing more concerned. 'You didn't see the article? Shit, bud.' She sent me a link, and I clicked on it.

It was an article on one of those stupid tabloid sites. The headline read 'Could Chris Evans be getting back with an old flame?' There was a picture of Chris hugging Jenny Slate outside of a bar, and the date was from last night. My heart clenched in my chest. I clicked on the article and read it.

'Several people reported seeing Chris Evans meet up with his old flame, Jenny Slate, last night in L.A. Chris has been keeping his love life on the down low, and we had even wondered if he was dating someone in secret. Chris was seen last night with Jenny, and the two appeared to be getting quite close. Jenny and Chris had dated on and off in the past for about 2 years, but the two had called it quits for good in 2018. Jenny had started dating Ben Shattuck, but now everyone is wondering if maybe that relationship isn't going so well if she is out meeting with Chris. Both stars are refusing to comment and their publicists won't talk either. We'll have more on this story once we get more information.'

I put down my phone and put my head in my hands on the desk. I took several deep breaths, and rubbed my aching head. These sites were wrong all of the time. They misconstrued everything if it meant it could get them a story and some attention. I knew better than to believe it, especially because I knew how he felt about Jenny, and I also had done some deep digging on her on google and it seems like she is madly in love with her boyfriend. It was the picture that was bugging me. It was very clearly Chris and Jenny, and he was kissing her cheek. Again, it could also be nothing. People sometimes just greeted each other like that. I could not get upset about this.

'I'm fine.' I told Max. 'I'm not going to get upset over this. There's no way any of it is true.'

'I know that, dummy. Any sane person would know that Chris is mad about you, but I just want to make sure you're good. This could cause a small media shit-storm.'

'I'm sure it will be fine.'

I went back to work, and ignored the internet for the rest of the day.

***

When I got out of work, Chris was calling me. I answered it as I climbed into my car.

"Hey," I said, a little breathless since I was rushing through the parking lot to get into my car before I answered the phone.

"Please tell me you're not believing that piece of shit article."

"I'm not. What happened?"

"I ran into Jenny at the bar I was at with Mackie and Scarlett. She kissed me on the cheek when she said hello. That's it. Of course, that is the picture someone caught. We talked for a little bit, but I did nothing but talk about you the whole time. And she told me about her boyfriend Ben."

"Chris, I didn't believe any of it. I promise."

He sighed. "Thank God. I've been dealing with a media shit-storm all day, and my publicist Sarah is flipping out. I had to just sign the papers for the realtor and leave. I'm at the airport now and I'm flying back early."

"Why is Sarah mad?"

"Well, if we make a statement saying that Jenny and I aren't dating, it will make it look like there's something there. If we don't make a statement, that's even worse."

"So it's a lose-lose situation."

"Yeah." He sounded so frustrated. "I'm so pissed. I was doing so good flying under the radar, but this stupid press tour is throwing me right back into the spotlight again."

"I'm sorry, Chris."

"My flight will get in at 8. Can I come see you?"

"Of course. How are you going to get here?"

"I'll hire a car from the airport. Hopefully I can get to you by 10."

"Are you going to have a hard time getting away from paparazzi? They'll know you're coming."

"They know I'm going to be in New York tomorrow, not tonight. I have security. They'll make sure I get to you without issue and will also make sure we aren't followed."

I bit my lip, praying that everything would work out. I heard a loud voice ring out on his end of the phone. "I have to go, Evie. My flight is boarding."

"Okay. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

We hung up, and I drove home, hoping the hours would pass by fast until I saw him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think?
> 
> Comments and kudos as always, please!


	19. Chapter 19: "Chris Evans, real life Captain America stealing the hearts of grandmas all over the country."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max delivers some hard truths to Evie, Chris returns and is convinced Evie and they have a talk about the article, and then...EPIC GAME NIGHT starts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! Obviously I'm not getting any better at chapter summaries... *facepalm* SORRY!
> 
> Anyway...everyone doing okay? Being completely obsessed with Chris Evans is like the only thing keeping me going right now... I have been watching all his movies and found a ton of Chris groups on Facebook...whoopsssss...
> 
> ANYWAY hope you like this!

Max and I had dinner together, and then we watched some movies to pass the time. I kept looking at the clock, waiting for Chris to get here.

"You really like him, huh? I have never seen you like this about a guy. Not even spider dude in college," Max said.

I made a face. "Spider dude was just to not feel like the only person without a boyfriend."

"Yeah, but bud, you did it bad. He was weird."

I laid my head back on the arm of the couch and put my feet in her lap. "Yeah the spider thing was too much."

She laughed. "It wasn't the spider thing. He was just....like one of those hobbits."

I made a face again. "Aw, fuck. You're right."

We were quiet for a few minutes and then she laughed. "Do you remember when we were 25 and you met that hot guy at the bar who turned out to be 40 but you didn't care and slept with him anyway?"

"He was super hot."

"Oh he super was. But after that you grew more confident in yourself. But you still never found the right guy. I have never seen you smile this much or be this nervous. I've never seen you light up a room with laughter like you do with him. Hell, you hate talking on the phone, but you talk to him literally every day."

I bit my lip. "I do really really like him, and each time we see each other, I like him even more."

"Listen, I know the celebrity thing is hard, but I really think you guys can do this. You can make it work. You should see the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching. It's like Dean Winchester looking at a hamburger or a piece of pie."

I laughed really hard, doubling over on the couch. "You're ridiculous!"

She laughed and grabbed my hand, squeezing it. "No, I'm being serious. You should have seen how he was looking at you at the Halloween party when you were interacting with his family. Bud, this is the real deal."

"Sebastian looks at you all cutesy too."

She shook her head. "No. Listen to me. Every relationship is different. Seb and I right now are just going with the flow, with the full acknowledgement that if we want to date other people, we can. I build connections with people at a snail's pace. But you and Chris...it's like you two have known each other forever."

I contemplated that for a minute before talking again. "He scares the shit out of me."

"Bud, why? Why does this scare you so much?"

"I feel like every time we're together, a piece of my wall comes chipping off. I very easily see a future with him, but we've been together less than 2 months. How can I feel this way so fast? How can someone know me so...fully and just accept every piece of me I have to give? I thought at first I would just show him only the parts that I was able, but every time I'm with him, especially when we have sex, I feel like I'm baring pieces of my soul that no one has ever seen. So yeah it's really scary. This is the scariest thing I've ever done in my life, and I guess I'm still just waiting for something to happen so I can say 'Aha! I knew this wouldn't work'. Does this make any sense?"

She nodded. "You've been hurt before, and you've spent the last 10 years making sure you couldn't ever get close enough to someone so you would never be hurt again. You've spent 10 years building your wall so high that no one could climb it or want to even try. And here Chris is, standing before you with like a freaking jackhammer or some shit, and he's not afraid of the wall."

It was stupid. But she was 100% right. I felt tears come to my eyes and quickly wiped them away. "You got through my walls easily."

"Because you needed me. You found me when you needed someone the most. You and I are more than best friends, we're sisters. There wasn't much of a wall for me to get through all those years ago, but bit by bit, I've watched you get hurt and just start stacking bricks up and never taking them down. But watching you with Chris is just....honestly, Evie. It's beautiful. You're becoming a person that I didn't know you could be. You can't keep finding things to pick apart."

"I can't help it," I choked out, trying not to sob. "I'm waiting for this to end in a colossally bad way. Waiting for it to end in an explosion of heartbreak."

"Don't keep walking down that path. Turn away. Take the other road."

"How?! I don't know how to do this any other way!" I was full out crying now, and Max pulled me partially on to her lap so she could hug me close to her.

"Babe, you gotta let it all go. Let yourself live. Let your walls come crashing down. Let him be there to pick up all your pieces. He wants to be the one who fixes you."

"You can't possibly know all that from watching us."

She chuckled and pushed my hair back from my face. "You're a dummy. We're best friend soulmates remember? Or soul sisters? I can read you like an open book, and if you can't see that he looks at you like the very fucking sun itself shines out of your goddamn ass, then you haven't been really looking. Or you've just refused to see it."

I sniffled. "You're a bitch."

"You're just saying that because I'm right and you know it." She looked at the clock. "Now go clean up your snot before your lover boy gets here. I'm going to watch some TV in my room and go to bed."

I rolled my eyes at her and got up to go wash my face and put eye drops in. When I came back out to the living room, Max was gone. I started watching the cartoon version of Aladdin, and must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, the doorbell was scaring me awake.

I adjusted my glasses and looked at my phone. It was 9:30. It had to be Chris. I quickly ran down the steps and opened the door to let him in.

He looked exhausted as he came through the door. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair was disheveled as if he had worn a hat all day, and he had dark circles under his eyes.

I led him up the steps quickly so we wouldn't disturb my grandmother. When we got up to the apartment, I locked up and turned the movie and TV off. He dropped his bag on the floor before grabbing me in his arms.

He smelled like cigarettes and alcohol, and he definitely needed a shower. But underneath all that, I smelled the scent that was all him. It was a mix of old spice deodorant and Irish spring soap, but even underneath that his skin had a smell that I couldn't explain. I hugged him to me like my life depended on it, like I could climb inside of his body and never ever leave.

"I missed you so much," he whispered against my hair, and I realized he was taking in the smell of my hair and skin. Maybe I had a certain scent that was only me too.

"I missed you too. Are these clothes from yesterday?"

He pulled away from me a little. "Yeah. Do I smell?"

I shook my head. "It's not bad. Is the smoke from the bar?"

He nodded. "I need a shower, and I need to hold you."

"Come on."

I turned all of the lights off and made sure once again that everything was locked. He picked up his bag and we went to my room. When the door was shut and locked, he started stripping his clothes off and throwing them into a pile on my floor.

He looked up, feeling me watch him and he gave me a small smile.

"Did you have to go through a paparazzi frenzy to get here?

He shook his head as he slipped his shoes off and pushed his pants down. "No. Thank God. Thanks for letting me come see you. I know you have work tomorrow. I'll wake up with you and leave when you-"

I shook my head at him and walked over to him, stopping his hands from pushing his underwear down. "I have work tomorrow, but you can stay here. Max and I don't care. You're welcome to stay."

Chris's eyes finally met mine, and I gulped at the sudden lump I could feel forming in my throat. There was so much emotion swirling around those beautiful blue eyes.

"Chris," I murmured when he pulled me in for a heart stopping kiss. I let him kiss me for a minute before pulling back. "Go shower first."

"Shower with me."

I shook my head. "I have my period still, babe. You don't want me to-"

"I don't care, Evie. That doesn't bother me even in the slightest. Just please come shower with me. I need to feel your naked body against mine."

"But-"

"Please," he begged. "I can't go a minute longer without feeling you pressed against me."

I swallowed hard and nodded at him. "Okay."

He pushed his boxer briefs off and reached down to pull off his socks. He moved away from me to go into the bathroom and start the shower. I followed him and took off my pajamas, carefully folding them and setting them on the sink. He was already waiting for me in front of the shower, and I could feel his eyes on me.

"Um, can you just...I have to take the tampon out..." I trailed off, feeling embarrassed.

He nodded and got in, turning away from me to give me some privacy.

I used the toilet quickly and pulled the tampon out before disposing of it. Thankfully, tomorrow was probably going to be the last day of my period so it was pretty light right now, but still a nuisance nonetheless. If it had been close to the beginning of the week when my flow was heavier, I don't think I would have been so easily persuaded to get in the shower with him. Periods were embarrassing enough. I put my underwear on the sink with my clothes and set a new tampon by them for after the shower.

I set out towels for us, and then got into the shower with him. His hands were leaning on the wall that had the shower head coming out of it. His head was hanging under the spray of water with his eyes closed, and I could see that every single muscle in his body was tensed up. I gently caressed my hands down his back and stepped forward to press the front of my body against the back of him. I massaged his tight shoulders before moving down his arms. My arms wrapped around the middle of his body, and I pressed my face against his back.

Chris sighed as the tension started to flow out of him. He continued holding his head under the spray, and the water went in rivulets down his back, getting my face wet. I didn't care. He needed to be held right now, and I was going to keep holding him. His arms moved over mine and he placed his hands on top of mine.

We stood like that until the water started bothering his eyes and he backed us up out of the spray. I let him go, moving around him so I could get my hair wet. He was watching me so intensely, and I still couldn't read the look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" I asked him in a whisper.

"I thought you were going to be really upset about the article." He grabbed the soap and poured it on a washcloth. I thought he was going to wash himself, but he pulled me from the spray so he could wash me instead. I let him. He needed this right now, and I would do whatever he wanted to chase the haunted look from his eyes.

"I'm not upset."

"But why? The picture looked bad. The way they wrote the article..."

"Look, it wasn't like it was a picture of you kissing another woman on the mouth or something awful like that. She was kissing your cheek. People greet each other like that all the time. And the article was pure bullshit. I know how you feel about Jenny. You have no ill feelings toward her, but I know you don't love her anymore."

"Why are you being so good about this?"

"Why are you looking for me to have a reason to be mad at you?"

He finished washing me and then washed himself. I rinsed off, he rinsed off. I shampooed my hair, he shampooed his. I put conditioner in mine, he did the same to his and to his beard...I knew he did that to make it softer so it wasn't so rough. I washed my face and then he washed his. And he still didn't answer my question.

"Chris?" I asked, placing a hand on his hard abs. "What's wrong?"

He looked at me, and this time I knew it was sadness in his eyes. "Just...this is just something small and stupid and look how much it got blown out of proportion? I'm afraid that this will get too much for you eventually, and that you'll decide none of this is worth the craziness. That I'm not worth it, and you'll run screaming for the hills."

I stepped forward and pressed myself tight against the front of his body. I gently kissed every inch of his chest that I could reach and rubbed his back with my hands. "Chris, you're worth the crazy. To me, you're worth all the crazy in the world. We'll deal with it all as it comes."

He held me against him and kissed the top of my head. "I don't think I'm giving you enough credit," he said with a small laugh. "You're...you're just amazing." I smiled against his chest.

"I'm trying. I really am. I want this to work, but I'm terrified too."

He pulled my face up and kissed me so softly in the barest brush of lips. I laughed when I felt him getting hard against my stomach. "4 weeks without you this soon in the relationship was rough," he said with a laugh, rubbing his face with his hand. "I tried not to make this moment about sex, but fuck, Eve, I just missed you. I can't help it."

I rolled my eyes and turned off the shower. "Typical man," I teased, opening the door to grab our towels. "No sex tonight," I warned.

He nodded and we both dried off. He left me in the bathroom to do my business, and when I came out he took his turn. I decided to just put a pad on instead of the tampon, so I put a pair of short shorts on over my underwear. I left my shirt off, wanting nothing more than for him to spoon me so I could feel his bare skin against my back.

I got into bed, and he turned off my light when he came out of the bathroom and climbed in with me. I made sure my alarm was set for 6, and then let him hold me tight. He was still hard, but when I tried to turn in his arms to grab him, he stopped me. "No. It'll go away. I just want to hold you."

I nodded, kissed him, and was asleep within minutes.

***

When I woke up the next morning, I tried to be as quiet as possible so he could get some more sleep. I got ready for work quickly, and was ready to leave the house by 7...I worked 7:30-4 today. I left a spare key for him on the table with a note that said he could stay as long as he wanted and eat whatever we had and told him to text me if he needed something and couldn't find it. I told him to just use the key for now in case he had to leave to go do something.

I know that seems like a big step, but I didn't think he would want to be in a hotel or something this weekend with everything going on. I really didn't mind if he stayed for however long. I wanted him to feel like he had somewhere he could hide from the shit-storm that would await him at the premiere tomorrow night.

Thankfully, work flew by for a Friday. Usually Fridays were the longest days ever, but today it seemed like I had only just gotten there and then I was leaving again. At 4, I raced home. Chris had texted me a few times, and he asked if Max and I wanted to have a board game night with Seb. I couldn't think of a better thing to do on a Friday night. I loved when we had game night, but we didn't do it very often since Max and I were typically very solitary creatures. It was hard to play the board games we had with only 2 people.

When I got home, shortly after 4:15, I saw a few more cars parked on my street than was normal. I knew Max was home already too since she worked the same schedule as me this week, and I recognized Seb's black BMW, but I didn't know the other car. As I got out of my car, I was shocked to see Tom, Mackie, and Elizabeth getting out of the other car.

"Hey. What are you guys doing here?"

They started unloading groceries and cases of beer. "Chris said it was game night and we all wanted to come too," Tom explained.

"Did Chris invite us without asking you?" Elizabeth asked, rolling her eyes. "Typical male species."

"Hey," Mackie said, feigning offense. "Us male species take offense to that."

"Yeah," Tom added. "What he said."

Elizabeth and I rolled our eyes at both of them. I grabbed some groceries from her car, and we let the 'male species' handle the cases of beer.

"He mentioned Seb coming, but not you guys. It's fine. The more the merrier when it comes to game night," I told her.

We went in and all of us went up the steps. Max, Seb and Chris were pushing our furniture around to set up an 8-foot card table in the middle of our living room. There were also folding chairs leaning against the couch.

"Where did you find that?"

Chris beamed at me. "Your grandma. I saw her out front struggling with some groceries so I went to help her."

"You met my grandmother? What did she say about you coming out of my apartment?"

He grinned bigger at me, and if I were made of ice, I would have melted into a puddle on the floor in that moment. "She said she's seen you and I come out a few times with our friends, but she knows you like to be private so she didn't want to pry. I introduced myself and helped her take in her groceries and mentioned our get together and she said she had the perfect card table in her basement."

"And?"

"And I got the table and chairs and brought them up and helped her move her outdoor patio furniture back inside. She was very happy to meet me," he said, giving me the full dimpled grin again.

"Chris Evans, real life Captain America stealing the hearts of grandmas all over the country," Mackie said, making me snort out loud.

I hadn't realized how loud the snort was until they all looked at me and I blushed bright red.

"You're fucking adorable," Chris told me with a laugh before grabbing me and kissing me.

Once I was thoroughly kissed, he let me go and everyone was occupied not looking at us.

Max came over and hugged me tight. "Can you guys like make-out later? Some of us are hungry."

"It's only 4:30," I said, laughing and pushing her away.

"Some of us didn't eat lunch," Seb said from by the fridge. Him, Elizabeth and Tom were unpacking the snacks and laying them out on the counters. They had brought a ton of different chips, dips, and a bunch of sub sandwiches. Mackie carried the cases of beer over to the fridge and started putting them in along with some sodas.

"I'm going to go change," I told them all as Max went to our coat closet to dig out some board games.

Chris followed me into the bedroom and shut the door behind us. I turned toward him to say something, but he picked me up and carried me to my bed. He sat on it, and I straddled his lap.

"Well, hello," I whispered, running my hands through his beard. It wasn't as long as it had been in Infinity War, but a few more weeks of letting it grow and it'd be there. Today he must have shaved a bit to clean it up because it looked neater than last night. His hair was growing out a bit too, and he had it gelled back from his face. He was wearing a nice pair of dark jeans and a purple flannel shirt with the top few buttons undone, letting me see his chest hair a little. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and I realized his feet were bare.

"You don't mind that I invited more people did you? Max told Seb we should invite the others since they came back to New York this week. They're coming to the premiere tomorrow."

I smiled and kissed him. "It's fine. But don't be mad when I hand your ass to you in front of your friends when I best you at all the games we play."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "So it's gunna be like that, hmm?" His hands grabbed on to my ass and squeezed.

I put my arms on his shoulders and leaned in close to his lips. "Yep," I whispered, pushing him down against the bed.

"Hey!" he yelped as I climbed off of him.

I stuck my tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes at me. I quickly changed into a pair of really ripped, faded, and loose dark wash jeans and a dark purple v-neck tee. I put the sweatshirt on that Chris had given me, and slipped on a pair of moccasin slippers.

I went to the bathroom, and was happy that my period had finally finished and I didn't have to put another tampon in. When I came back out to my room, Chris had already gone out to the living room. I followed him out, and went to the kitchen to make a small plate of food since I wasn't really hungry yet.

I sat at the card table with everyone else and watched them fight over what game to play.

"What about Cards Against Humanity?" Mackie suggested.

Max and I looked at each other from across the table and grinned.

"Let's do it," we both said in unison.

Seb and Chris looked at us. "Why do I have a feeling we're going to regret this?" Seb asked, laughing as he took the cards out to start setting up.

"Because you will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This got emotional...and next chapter I'm REALLY going to put you all through the emotional ringer and I'm sorry! Needs to be done though...
> 
> Comments and kudos as always please!


	20. Chapter 20: Breakdowns, Panic Attacks, and Asthma Attacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris's publicist shows up on game night. Evie has a hard time for the rest of the night trying to get her emotions back in check which leads to worse things happening when her and Chris are alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyy guys...look...I'm sorry in advance for this. This chapter has a lot of emotional stuff in it and Evie is REALLY gunna go through some shit, but I promise we just have to get through this bump! We'll also get to see Tom and Evie getting a little closer (friendship wise).
> 
> Also...there is mention of the relationship between Tom and Taylor Swift in this...MY MENTION OF IT IN NO WAY REFLECTS THE REAL LIFE EVENTS. Please don't bash me for what I decided to do with that. I needed to go a different route with that whole thing for this story and this is the only chapter I think I even mention it in.
> 
> I also wanted to address something else...I got a question in the comments about when Tom and Evie's relationship will start, and I just wanted to remind you guys that their relationship is more of a slow burn...and I wanted to assure you in advance that there is NO cheating involved at all and everything will be mutually agreed upon. We'll get there eventually!
> 
> Hope you're all doing good. I have some other news for you in the end notes so make sure you read that!

Max and I were crushing all of them at Cards Against Humanity. We were always somehow lucky at this game, but really it was just in the cards you were dealt.

Every time one of us got the 'Big Black Dick' card, we gave it to Sebastian when he was the dealer or we held on to it until it was his turn to deal again. He blushed bright red when he had to read it out loud, and we all laughed really hard as he muttered it under his breath.

When we got tired of CAH, we played a Marvel trivia game. You'd think that would have been an unfair advantage considering who our guests were, but Max and I still wiped the floor with them.

We were in the middle of a particularly violent game of monopoly (and by violent, I mean that Tom had gotten mad enough to knock a few hotels off the board when he landed on Park Ave for the 2nd time and had to pay up to Chris) when the doorbell rang.

I looked at the clock and it was already past 9. Who could that be? Surely my grandma was asleep, unless we were disturbing her with the noise. I got up and went downstairs quick. I peeked through the peephole and saw a woman standing there.

I cautiously opened the door, opening it just a crack. "Yes?"

"Hi. My name is Sarah James. I'm Chris's publicist. Is he here?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, but nodded. "Um yeah. Come on in."

She walked in the door, and in the light I could see she was in her early 40s and was very pretty. She had long dark hair that was pulled back in a professional looking ponytail, and she was wearing a crisp looking gray suit. Her eyes were dark brown, and she was thin and lean.

I introduced myself. "I'm Evie. It's nice to meet you." I locked the door and turned to see a look of disdain on her face.

"Yes, I know who you are. Chris told me your name, and it wasn't hard to dig up pictures of you as well as your address. If I could find you as easily as I did, once the shit hits the fan so will others."

I blinked at her. "Um...okay? Chris is upstairs." I couldn't understand why she was looking at me like I was pond scum and talking to me like I was some low life, but whatever. I would keep being polite for now. I led her up the steps, and saw the surprise on Chris's face when Sarah came through the door behind me.

"Sarah? What are you doing here?"

I shut the door and sat back at the table, shrugging when Max raised an eyebrow at me.

"I'm here to make sure you aren't going to be bringing Evelyn to the premiere tomorrow."

All of us stared at her in shock. What was with her?

"What? Why would you say that? You know I wanted to bring her," Chris said, standing up from the table. 

"Chris, after your little slip with Jenny this week, we still haven't even made a statement. If you go there with some random-"

"Sarah, Evie is my girlfriend."

"Evie is a problem."

I stood up now. "How exactly am I a problem? Chris and I have been dating for weeks and have managed to avoid the press and paparazzi thus far. If you think I have some deep dark past, I can assure you that is not the case."

She crossed her arms under her chest and gave me a dirty look. "You're really going to make me say this, aren't you?"

It was my turn to cross my arms and give her my own dirty look. "Yep. Say it. Loud enough for all to hear."

She glared at me. "You do not fit the image of someone Chris should be dating."

The room was silent, and I could tell that several people were about to speak in my defense. I held up a hand and shook it so they wouldn't.

"I'm not pretty enough for Chris to date, is that it, Sarah? Or maybe because I'm not a model or a musician or an actress? Or is it because I'm fat?"

"Evie!" Chris pleaded, grabbing my hand.

I pulled away from him. "Don't." I turned back to Sarah with a raised eyebrow. "Which is it?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "All of it. You are not right for him, and if this gets out he will be the mockery of the internet for weeks, months...."

"So let me get something straight here, Sarah. I'm not good enough for him even though it's clear that I make him happy."

"Oh, please. How could he possibly be happy?"

Chris was seething beside me, but I put a hand on his chest to stop him from saying anything yet.

"I think I see what's going on here, Sarah. See, I have a theory which is that you don't want Chris dating anyone that isn't you."

She looked at me completely stunned, and I knew I had hit the nail on the head. "How dare you?! Chris is my client-"

"No, how dare YOU? You come to my apartment and you stand here and hurl insults at me? Don't push me, Sarah, because I will fucking push back."

Her face was red with anger and her fists were clenched at her sides. "Look, we both want what's best for Chris, so let's just get to the point. Obviously whatever this is between you and Chris is going to end as soon as he's done with fucking you. This is just a way for him to get laid, and it has to stop."

I reeled back like she had slapped me.

"Oh, no. Nope. Not happening," Max said, getting up from her seat to stand in front of me. "Get out. Get the fuck out of my apartment. You are not going to stand here and insult my best friend anymore. Evie is beautiful inside and outside, and is literally the nicest person in the universe. She genuinely cares about Chris and has been supporting him non-stop even through the bullshit this week. You are fucking blind if you can't see how happy the two them make each other. Now get the fuck out."

Max got right up in Sarah's face, and she towered over her.

Sarah scoffed. "Are you going to let her talk to me like that?" she asked, looking over at Chris.

I'd never seen him so mad. His face was red with anger and his jaw was clenched tight. "Yep. Get the fuck out. Actually, allow me to escort you out." He walked to the door and ripped it open, waiting for her to follow him.

She glared at me one last time before stepping out the door. I heard them go down the stairs, and then the front door opened and slammed shut, making me jump.

I clutched the sweatshirt to my chest, and turned toward everyone else. I saw sympathy in everyone's eyes except Max's, and seeing that many people looking sorry for me did me in.

Tears came to my eyes, and I ran to my room and shut the door. Seconds later there was a knock, and I ran to my bathroom. I shut that door, sat on the floor against the sink, crossed my legs under me and cried into my hands.

This is what I knew it would come to all along, and all Sarah had done was hit the point home and place a ton of doubts in my head. I wasn't good enough for him. I wasn't pretty enough or skinny enough. How could she say this was just a way for him to get laid? I admit we had sex as much as we could since we didn't see each other a lot, but it was so much more than that. Right?

I held my head in my hands and cried harder at the words spinning around my head. It was like I had someone who was whispering to me over and over that I wasn't good enough.

I shouted out loud into the bathroom, and the door flew open. It was Tom and he had a worried look on his face.

He saw me sitting crumpled on the floor, and he sat down next to me and placed me on his lap. "Evie, don't let what she said affect you. You are an incredibly beautiful woman, and Chris really cares for you. He doesn't care that you're not an actress or famous. He likes everything that makes you who you are."

"He dated Jessica Biel and Minka Kelly and Jenny. I am nothing compared to them," I cried.

"I haven't known you very long, but I know just from what Chris tells me that you have the most beautiful soul. For years I have watched Chris struggle to find love because no one in Hollywood lived up to his expectations. You are beautiful, smart, kind, and you make him happier than I've ever seen him."

I leaned against Tom's chest and tried my best to calm down. I knew he was right. In my heart, I knew he was, but with the depression and anxiety, my brain was stuck in overdrive. "How can you say that I'm beautiful when you've literally dated Taylor Swift?"

"Ah. That was an unfortunate event. A publicity stunt that I stupidly agreed to be a part of. That was a huge mistake." He rubbed my back in small circles. "When you smile, it lights up your whole face, and you have these dimples in your cheeks. The bigger you laugh, the more noticeable your dimples become. Your eyes shine with happiness and laughter. You are truly, truly beautiful. These women in Hollywood...not very many of them are actually real and genuine. Their smiles wouldn't light up a room. Chris is lucky to have you," he said, but he almost sounded upset about it.

Chris chose that moment to come into the bathroom. "Thanks, Tom. I can handle it from here." He was still so angry...I could tell by just his voice. I stood up from Tom's lap and then Tom got to his feet too.

"Thanks," I whispered to Tom, squeezing his arm as he passed me. He shut my bedroom door behind me, and I was left alone with Chris.

He walked to me and pulled me against him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"She is jealous of me."

"That gives her no right to say what she did. Not a single word of it is true, do you hear me?" He grasped my face with his hands and kissed me.

"I really tried to keep my cool," I told him.

"You were perfect." He wiped the tears from my eyes. "If she had been a man, I would have absolutely decked her." He tucked my hair behind my ears and put my glasses back on my face. "I fired her."

"What?" I gasped.

"I fired her. I already just signed on with the guy Mackie has. Honestly, this was overdue. Sarah has made a pass at me before, but I ignored it. I didn't want to lose her then because she made my life easier, but I'm done. She can fuck off."

"Chris? Did you hear all of what Tom and I said?"

He nodded. "Jessica and Minka...Jenny...any one else. No one compares to you. No one makes me feel how you do. Emotionally, physically...intimately. Babe, I'm all yours. Every single part of me. I really honestly feel like I'm-" 

He got cut off by Max knocking on the open bathroom door.

"Are you okay?" she asked me, looking back and forth between us.

I used the sleeves of Chris's sweatshirt that I was wearing to wipe my face. "I guess." I tried to brush past Chris to leave the bathroom, but he grabbed my hand, stopping me.

"Evie, please come with me tomorrow. I want you to be there."

I froze and looked at Max for help. She nodded subtly at me so Chris wouldn't see her. "Okay," I whispered. I turned my body fully to Chris's. "But how are we going to stop this from going bad with the media?"

He kissed my forehead. "My new publicist, Mark, is coming in the morning and we'll figure it out then. But honestly? I don't care how it happens, I just want you there...even if it means this blows up."

"And Seb and I will be there," Max said.

"Us too," Elizabeth said from my bedroom. She had Mackie and Tom standing with her.

I smiled at them in thanks, and then we moved back out to the living room and continued game night.

***

We all drank more than we should have, but we had fun. My heart wasn't completely in it, but I tried my best to keep the facade up.

I wouldn't let Tom, Elizabeth or Mackie leave. We folded up the table and chairs, and fixed up the pull out couch. Mackie and Elizabeth took that, and Max and Seb gave them clothes they could use as pajamas.

For Tom, we blew up an old air mattress we had packed away in the closet. And put it on the floor by the TV. Once I made that up for him, I tried to think of what we could lend him to wear to bed. He was too thin for Chris's or Seb's clothing since they were both built bigger than him. Max finally was able to dig out a pair of old gym shorts (men's ones) that were a little tight on her now. Tom had to tie the strings tight, but they worked for him just fine and he assured me that he didn't need a shirt.

Once everyone was settled, Max and Seb went to her room, and Chris and I went to mine.

I let out a big breath of air I wasn't aware I was even holding in. I looked at Chris who was sitting on the bed watching me.

"Are you really okay?" he asked me.

I shrugged at him but then shook my head. "Not really."

"Talk to me....please," he begged.

I sat next to him on the bed, but stayed far enough away that we wouldn't touch. I couldn't let him touch me right now. When he touched me, I would lose my ability to think. "This is just...Chris, I'm terrified. I have let you in more than I have ever let someone else in. You have been chipping slowly away at this wall I have worked so hard to build, and..." Tears came to my eyes yet again. Damn these freaking period hormones. Even after my period ended they would mess with me. "I keep trying to protect myself, and when you're not here with me it's like I try to put the wall back up, but it's cracked and was fixed up with Elmer's glue and scotch tape. Then when I see you again, you come smashing back through it, and taking down more than I had even fixed in the first place. I feel so vulnerable, and I just can't stop my anxiety from telling me something is going to happen that is going to crush me beyond repair."

"Evie, babe," he reached out to touch me, but I moved back further and watched the look of hurt come over his face. "I feel the same way as you do. This is scary as hell, but when I'm with you...it's like the rest of the world turns off and nothing else matters. When I touch you, I feel calm and all the thoughts being thrown around by anxiety stop."

That's how I felt too, which is why I was staying out of reach. I knew when he touched me, it'd be all over. "This isn't just a way for you to get laid?"

He reeled back like I had slapped him. "How can you say that?" Now he was mad again. "After everything I've told you....after everything we feel when we're together. You know that isn't true. Stop doing this."

"Stop doing what?"

"Stop deliberately looking for reasons to sabotage this...stop looking for anything to make me mad. Just stop. Stop this bullshit."

I froze in mid-motion while trying to take off my sweatshirt. My heart was beating fast in my chest from panic...because he was right. That's exactly what I was doing. "Shit," I said.

"Yeah," he said, still angry.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, feeling completely lost. I pulled the sweatshirt off and pulled my knees to my chest, leaning my arms on my knees and hiding my face against my arms. And I suddenly had a panic attack hit me full force. My chest squeezed tight, constricting my breath in my lungs.

"Evie?"

I looked up at him, my eyes going wide with panic as I clutched at my chest. This was a bad one. I had asthma too, and somehow this was even triggering an asthma attack. I was panicking even more now. Chris didn't even know I had asthma, and he wouldn't know what to do. Normally I would be okay enough to help myself, but mixed with the panic attack, I couldn't even move.

"Max," I choked out, hoping he would understand.

He did. Chris ripped my door open yelling for Max, and I heard everyone in the living room saying, "What the hell?!" "We're trying to sleep!"

I heard Chris pound on Max's door. "Max, something's wrong with Evie and she told me to get you."

"Fuck!" I heard her yell from her room.

Seconds later, Max and Chris came running into my room. Distantly, I felt bad that we must have interrupted Seb and Max because she came in only wearing a shirt and a pair of underwear.

"Evie...can you breathe?" she asked me, and I shook my head. She cursed and started knocking things over on my dresser to look for my emergency inhaler.

Tom, Seb, Mackie and Elizabeth were standing in my doorway with worried looks on their faces.

"Fuck, Evie, where the fuck is it?" Now Max was panicking because she knew I usually kept it close and she didn't see it anywhere.

I tried hard to think through the panic, taking short shallow breaths that hurt like a son of a bitch. "Purse." I was sure it was still in my purse.

"Help me find her purse!" she yelled at everyone. "Chris, make a cup of hot coffee black. Seb, get a cup of lukewarm water."

Everyone moved out of my room and what felt like hours later, Tom and Max came back with my purse. Tom was trying to open it for Max.

"Just give it to me," she snapped at him, and she opened it and dumped it all on the floor. She found my inhaler in the pile of crap from my purse and ran it over to me as Seb and Chris came in with the drinks.

Max uncapped my inhaler and put it in my hand. I quickly brought it to my mouth and pressed down on the part that would release the medicine. I took a breath and coughed, waited 10 seconds and took a hit of the inhaler again. I coughed again, but could feel my airway starting to slowly open back up. She gave me the glass of lukewarm water, and I drank from it. Next she gave me the coffee, and even though it was disgustingly black, I drank it.

Several minutes past where I sat on the bed and tried to relearn how to breathe. Chris was sitting on the bed and rubbing my legs looking so worried.

The asthma attack was finally under control, but the panic and anxiety were still there.

I looked at Chris's face and squeezed his hand tight in mine. "My books, my purse, my feet, your face, Max's shirt." I took a few deep, slow breaths.

"What is she doing?" Tom asked, confused by my random list.

Chris shushed him and pulled me into his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes. "4 things you can touch."

"Your shirt, my jeans, my shirt, my comforter," I said, touching each thing and holding it for a few seconds as I continued my deep breathing. "3 things...I can hear?" I asked, unsure.

"Yes, baby, 3 things you can hear."

"The wind outside." I paused and listened. "Max pacing around my room. Stop that." She stopped immediately. "Your heartbeat," I whispered to him.

He ran his hand through my hair and kissed my forehead. "2 things you can smell."

"Beer and your deodorant."

He chuckled. "1 thing you can taste."

I wrinkled my nose." Disgusting coffee."

He laughed then and pulled me away from his chest so he could look at me. I opened my eyes, seeing his own only inches from mine. "My coffee was not disgusting."

"It was. You burnt the fucking shit out of it."

Max laughed from behind me. "Cut him some slack. He was scared shitless. Honestly, so was I."

Tom spoke up. "We all were. Are you okay?"

I turned toward them in Chris's lap and nodded. "Unfortunate timing. Panic attack bad enough it triggered an asthma attack. It's happened before. Thankfully, it doesn't happen a lot."

"This was the worst one I've seen. If Chris didn't come get me-"

"Max, don't," I pleaded.

"What would have happened if you weren't here?" Chris asked.

"She would have probably stopped breathing completely and passed out. You would have had to call an ambulance."

"Okay, but now I know the signs to look for and know what her inhaler looks like," he said. "Thanks, Max."

"I always keep it with me," I told him. "It can be triggered by anything. Certain smells, allergies...anxiety."

"Okay, let's all leave Evie and Chris alone so they can go to bed," Elizabeth said, grabbing Tom and Mackie by the arms and pulling them toward the door.

Tom gave me a small smile as they left. I looked at Max and Seb, and realized he had a sheet wrapped around his waist. "Damn, guys. I'm sorry."

Max shook her head. "It's fine. Goodnight, guys." She pulled Seb out of my room and shut the door.

I got up from Chris's lap and started taking off my clothes. I had gotten hot and sweaty during the panic attack, and I wanted nothing more than a relaxing shower. I used the bathroom quickly and then jumped in the shower, knowing Chris would follow me.

Less than a minute later he stepped in behind me, his arms wrapping around me from behind. My face was leaning into the spray, which was good since the tears were coming back. I'm not sure what gave me away, but Chris pulled me out of the spray and turned me around to face him. He wiped the water off my face, but tears kept flowing out.

"Evie, don't. It's okay."

"But you were right. I am picking this apart, sabotaging it. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry."

"Babe, stop. People do crazy shit when they're scared. It's okay. Please let's just forget this. I don't want you to keep being upset. You calmed yourself down so well. Don't set off another panic attack," he begged, smoothing my wet hair back and wiping my face gently.

"Chris, no. Let me finish. I'm sorry. I know I am a difficult person. I know I'm stubborn. I do really care about you...so very much. I just...I need you to understand that this is a lot. I've never cared about someone like this or opened myself up like this, and I just am terrified my walls will be all the way down and then the other shoe will drop and I will be hurt in such a colossal way that I can't come back from it."

"Look...this is not going to be easy. We both know that, but I'm scared too. I feel the exact same way. But being this scared...that doesn't mean we shouldn't take this risk. I know we can do this. I know it. I am going to do everything in my power to make sure you don't get hurt in this. Remember when I asked if you trusted me?" I nodded. "Please keep trusting me. Please. I know this is nuts because we've only been together for less than 2 months, but I know I want to be with you and do whatever it takes to make this work."

I leaned my head on his naked chest. "I trust you. I do. I want this to work. But I can't promise to not be stubborn."

He laughed. "And I can't promise not to get mad about it."

I kissed his chest and then his neck, chin, cheek and finally landed on his lips.

He kissed me back and then we quickly finished our shower. We went back to my room, but I didn't want to put clothes on. I needed to feel him tonight. All of him.

"Your hands are shaking. Are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded and pulled the covers down for us to get in bed. "The medicine in the inhaler makes me feel like shit for a few hours. I always shake. I'm okay now. Really I am."

He turned off the light and got into bed. He spooned against the back of my body, every inch of him pressed against every inch of me. The tension that had been in me eased away little by little, and within minutes I fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Peeking out of my hiding spot* What did you guys think? I know that was a tough one! I'M SORRY! It had to happen!
> 
> Comments and Kudos please???
> 
> ALSOOOO...if you REALLY like how this story is going and are willing to read more stuff that I write...I am going to be posting a new story!!!! I'm posting it within an hour or so. You can go to the top of this page and click on my username and subscribe to my profile to get notified! It's a story about being stuck in quarantine with some of the Avengers and MAN IS IT A LOT OF FUN!
> 
> Thanks for all of you being amazing and loyal! Love you all! <3


	21. Chapter 21: "...I know it's morning and you're like...a dude, but can you like put that away?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Evie wake up after a night full of high emotions and give in to the temptation of being away from each other for 4 long weeks. Chris gets a new publicist and the group gets a game plan together for attending the premiere of 'Knives Out'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know I usually post Wednesdays but doing it a day early so I can post Friday instead of Saturday this weekend. Hope everyone's well. In this chapter we start to see Tom and Evie start to get just a little bit closer...but again their relationship is still a slow burn so this is minuscule. Baby steps, people!

When I awoke in the morning, Chris was hard as a rock against my ass.

"Hey. You're poking me back there," I teased, shoving my butt against him.

He laughed and ground his hips against my ass. He kissed my shoulder and rubbed my nipples with the palms of his hands. His hips shifted, and his cock started sliding against me.

"Babe, we have people sleeping right out in the living room," I panted, getting excited.

"Evie, it's been 4 weeks. I can't....I need you. I just have to find a way to keep you quiet," he said in a low voice.

My pulse sped up as he moved around to dig through my nightstand for a condom.

Once he put it on, he used some lube to prep us both and then sat against the headboard. I straddled his legs and wasted no time guiding him into me.

He covered my mouth to silence the moan that came out of me. I couldn't help it. It'd been 4 weeks, and it was like I was starving for him.

"Just be careful," I hissed as he started picking up the pace.

To help stop myself from making noise, I started biting his chest and shoulders. He set a furious pace, but made sure to keep his thrusts shallow. His hand found my clit, and I bit down on him harder.

He was cursing in a low voice, trying his best to keep his own voice down.

Both of us finished at the same time, and he yelped when I bit him hard during my orgasm.

"Sorry," I panted, my heart pounding.

"Fuck, Evie, that wasn't enough," he groaned.

I agreed. We'd had to rush that one, and I had wanted to enjoy him fully after all these weeks.

"Tonight," I said as I pulled off of him. "Just get through today and tonight we will have more time."

He nodded in agreement and kissed me deeply. "Tonight."

***

We got dressed and went out to the living room. Everyone else was just starting to wake up and get out of bed. I went over to the coffee maker and started making a large pot for us all.

I was wearing a pair of yoga pants and a tank top and Chris had just thrown on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He came up behind me and helped me get some cups from the cabinet, but not before pressing his body against the back of mine.

"Your ass looks fucking incredible in these. Please wear them more," he whispered hotly in my ear.

I chuckled and ground my ass against him. "Quit poking me," I whispered in a teasing manner.

He glared at me jokingly and I kissed him.

"Ugh, gross. Come on. I know it's morning and you're like...a dude, but can you like put that away?" Elizabeth asked from the fridge, gesturing at Chris's crotch.

I laughed hard at the embarrassed look on his face. "He can't help it. My ass looks nice in these pants." I turned and showed Elizabeth my ass.

She laughed hard, leaning over and clutching her stomach. "Girl, I love you. But I'm not going to look at your ass to tell you if he's right."

"Oh, he's right," Tom said from the living room and Chris flipped him off.

"Eyes off my girl," Chris said.

Tom rolled his eyes and flipped Chris off too.

Mackie came over to the kitchen. "Bruh. You can't get mad if he looks at your girl's ass when clearly she's got some junk in that trunk."

Elizabeth laughed harder, tears streaming down her face.

Seb and Max came out of her room. "What the hell?" Max asked, seeing Elizabeth nearly on the floor.

Tom filled them in. "Chris has a boner and Elizabeth pointed it out and Evie said it's because of her nice ass in those pants, and Mackie and I agreed that it's a nice ass."

"She does have a nice ass," Seb chipped in and Max looked at him. "What? Oh, come on. Like...she's got a nice bod."

"Actually, I agree. I am 40% percent into girls, and I agree she has a nice ass," Max said.

I was embarrassed as all hell now. "I hate ALL of you." My face was bright red as I turned away from them all to pour the coffee in a big insulated pot so I could make another pot with the coffee maker.

"Wait....40%? I need more explanation," Mackie said.

"Yeah well, like, I'm bi. It's like 50/50 most of the time but sometimes the scales tip and I'm more into men than women so right now it's 60/40. It's been awhile since I dated a woman who rocked my world."

Elizabeth was literally on the floor laughing now and hitting her hands on the linoleum.

"Lizzie, did you do drugs during the night?" Tom asked.

I shook my head and went ahead with starting to get everything ready for breakfast. I ignored them as they bickered amongst each other, and got my cup of coffee ready for myself before I started whipping up some cheesy eggs.

"Can I help?"

I was scared enough by the interruption that I spilled some hot coffee down my shirt. "Aw, shit."

"I'm sorry," Tom said, handing me some paper towels. "I didn't mean to scare you."

I looked over at him and saw he was still shirtless and the shorts I had let him borrow were hanging low on his hips. His wavy hair was messy on top of his head, and he had his glasses on since he hadn't put his contacts in yet. Why was he so attractive? I shook my head and used the paper towels to mop up the coffee. "It's fine. I was just in the zone."

"You were humming," Chris said from behind me.

"Oh, I was? I do that and don't always realize I'm doing it. I'm also jumpy," I told them.

"So, what can I do?" Tom asked again.

"Yeah we're ready to help," Chris said, getting close to me.

I closed my eyes for a second before turning toward the room. Elizabeth and Max were cleaning up the living room so we could set the card table back up. Our small kitchen table couldn't sit 7 of us, and we didn't have counter seats at the island in our kitchen because of lack of space. Mackie and Seb were standing on the other side of the island and were sipping coffee. They were also shirtless. Jesus H. Fucking Roosevelt Christ the testosterone level in this room was so fucking high right now.

"Okay. Tom if you could man the toaster that'd be great. Just toast 2 pieces for each person. Chris, please man the microwave with the bacon and sausage."

I went back to sipping my coffee and cooking the eggs as the guys went to their set tasks. I went back to humming and felt myself start to dance.

I heard music start to play, and was surprised when I saw Chris putting my phone by our bluetooth speaker. He looked up at me and grinned. "Want your weird playlist?"

I laughed. "Yes! How did you know?"

He grinned and tapped at my phone before my favorite playlist started playing. 'Better Now' by Post Malone started playing, and I heard Max groan.

"Really, Chris? She'll never stop singing now," Max yelled over the music. 

I flipped her off and went back to cooking, singing, and dancing.

As the eggs finished, I plated them up for people and Tom took care of giving out toast and Chris gave out the meat.

"Everyone has food except us," Chris said as I sang along to Bazzi's 'Mine'.

"You so fuckin' precious when you smile  
Hit it from the back and drive you wild  
Girl, I lose myself up in those eyes  
I just had to let you know you're mine," I sang while making three more plates of eggs.

"Hands on your body, I don't wanna waste no time  
Feels like forever even if forever's tonight  
Just lay with me, waste this night away with me  
You're mine, I can't look away, I just gotta say." I danced around Chris, singing directly to him and making him laugh and smile at me.

"I'm so fucking happy you're alive  
Swear to God, I'm down if you're down all you gotta say is right  
Girl anything I can do just to make you feel alright  
Oh, I just had to let you know you're fine  
Running circles 'round my mind  
Even when it's rainy all you ever do is shine  
You on fire, you a star just like Mariah  
Man this feel incredible, I'll turn you into a bride, you're mine

Hands on your body, I don't wanna waste no time  
Feels like forever even if forever's tonight  
Just lay with me, waste this night away with me  
You're mine, I can't look away, I just gotta say," I finished with a twirl and blew a kiss at Chris, but backed up into Tom on accident.

Tom caught me and steadied me on my feet. "Don't fall and hurt yourself."

I stuck my tongue out at him, and the three of us took our full plates and coffees to the table to eat.

"Okay, now that was a good song," Chris said, kissing the side of my head.

I grinned at him as another Post Malone song started playing. "That is one of my favorites. It's just a lot of fun and I love the words."

Max threw a piece of bacon at my head. "You're such a dork."

I rolled my eyes at her. "You're a child."

"You're a bitch."

"You're a whore!" I told her, laughing when she grinned at me.

"Yes, I am. Thank you. But so are you. You're a sex fiend, my friend."

I blushed. "I am not."

"You both are," Mackie said, gesturing to Chris and I with a piece of bacon. "You tried to be quiet this morning but we still heard you."

I gasped. "No way! I was quiet!"

They all laughed. "We heard Chris actually," Elizabeth said, wrinkling her nose in slight disgust.

I blushed but raised an eyebrow at Chris. "And you were worried about them hearing me."

He threw his head back and laughed, that damn intoxicating laugh that drew everyone's attention to him in a 1 mile radius. He put his arm around my shoulders. "You BIT me," he said.

"You ASKED for it."

"Ha! I always knew Chris was a kinky little shit," Elizabeth said.

"Ew," Mackie and Seb said together.

I rolled my eyes again, and then the doorbell rang.

I squinted through my smudged glasses at the clock on the microwave. It was only 9:30 in the morning. Who on earth could that be? Then I remembered that Chris's new publicist Mark was coming by.

"I'll go get it," Chris said and then ran for the door and stairs.

I looked at the huge mess that was my apartment. "Fuck," I hissed and started moving dirty plates off the table.

Tom jumped up to help me, but we only got half the table cleared before Chris walked in the door with Mark.

Mark was a 40 something year old man with dark hair that was peppered with gray throughout. He was clean shaven, had dark eyes and was tall and lean. He was dressed in a nice sweater and jeans and had folders in his arms.

Tom, Mackie and Seb kept loading up our dishwasher, and I walked over to Chris.

"Mark, this is my girlfriend Evie. That's Max. You know Mackie and Elizabeth. And that's Tom and Sebastian," Chris introduced, pointing us all out.

Mark smiled at everyone and then held his hand out to me. "Hi, I'm Mark Browne. Chris told me about you when we spoke on the phone late last night. I'm very sorry his old publicist treated you badly."

"Thanks. Would you like some coffee or some breakfast?" I asked.

"I'm not hungry but coffee would be wonderful. Please."

I nodded and let him and Chris sit at the table. Chris had to sign some contracts with him, and when the coffee was ready, I set it out along with some cream and sugar. Since they were talking business, I went back to the kitchen to clean up more.

Everyone else was huddled in the kitchen talking, but Tom kept helping me load up the dishwasher until it was full. I turned it on and started hand washing the dishes that were left over.

"I'll dry," Tom offered, stepping close to me to grab the dish towel.

"Thanks."

"Thanks for letting us crash here," he said, bumping my shoulder with his.

"Well, I wasn't going to let you all drive home drunk."

He didn't say anything for a moment as I put another dish in the rack for him. "Are you really okay after last night?"

I looked at him. "Yeah. It was a rough night, but I think I'm okay. Chris and I talked and we're good. I'm not saying there won't be fights about it in the future. I care about him, but I'm also really stubborn and always on the defense. Part of my problem is that I pick at things...self-sabotage. I'm not sure how to overcome that."

"As more time goes by, and the more secure you feel in your relationship with him, things will get easier. It's new. You're not used to this...crazy life. I've been in the business for years, and sometimes I just hate it. Everyone wants a piece of the celebrity life, the spotlight. They don't care about the people we really are."

I put my wet hand on Tom's hand and squeezed it. "I see you. I agree that this is nuts and overwhelming, and I suddenly find myself having an apartment full of celebrities, but I know that what I have here is a room full of friends. I see you, Tom," I told him again. "I haven't known all of you long, but you came to me last night when I needed someone the most."

"Max wanted to go to you, but she was so angry. I told her I'd try to talk to you. I've seen you since you first walked through my doorway. You're the most genuine person I think I've ever met."

I gave him a big smile. "Thanks."

"Hey, Tom and Evie, will you guys come here please?" Mark asked from the table.

We turned and everyone else was sitting there with Mark and Chris.

I turned off the sink and Tom and I wiped our hands off before going over to the table.

There was only one chair left, but I insisted Tom take it. I leaned against the table by Chris and he put his arm around my waist.

"So," Mark began. "We need a game plan for tonight. Chris and I agree we don't want to put any kind of statement out about the article from the other day, but we also don't want to blow your relationship up either. I would love it if we could keep your relationship under wraps until after the holidays. Number one, it will leave time for them to leave Chris be about this Jenny thing. Number two, you guys will have a chance to be able to just be with each other before word gets out. Once word gets out, I'm afraid your privacy won't be respected."

"I think that sounds great," I said, looking down at Chris who nodded. I put an arm on his shoulders and leaned down to kiss the top of his head.

Mark smiled at us. "So...the thing about tonight is, if he brings you as his date, it will blow up."

"Oh," I said, my voice a little sad.

"No, no. You're going," Mark said. "But we just have to make it seem like you're not his date. Don't walk in with just him. Walk in as a group. Make sure you're pictured with different people from your group and not just Chris. Things like that."

"I can handle that," I said, feeling relieved. I wanted to be there to support Chris.

"Okay so just make sure you two don't get photographed kissing or looking overly....couple-y and we should be good," Mark said. "We'll get a limo for all of you to go in together. Any questions about who Max and Evie are can just be answered honestly...that they are your friends."

"Done," Chris said.

"Um...we need dresses, Evie," Max said.

"Uhhh." My eyes went wide.

Chris laughed. "Don't panic. We're going to go to the city as soon as Mark leaves and get us all outfits to wear."

"If you want, we can get ready in my place, and you can all spend the night there so you don't have to come back here so late," Tom offered.

"That'd be great," Chris said. "Mark, will you arrange a limo to get us at Tom's at 7? We have to be at the premiere downtown by 8."

"What's Tom's address?" Mark asked.

Tom rattled off his address. We said our goodbyes to Mark, and then we all ran around my apartment rushing to clean up, shower, etc. Max, Seb, Chris and I all packed bags for Tom's. Elizabeth and Mackie already had their stuff at Tom's so that worked out nicely.

I made sure to grab my big make-up kit and my big box of jewelry. I didn't bother trying to find shoes since I would have to buy some to match whatever dress I was going to get.

Tom, Mackie and Elizabeth all left in the car they came in, and Chris, Seb, Max and I decided to take my Jeep and leave the rest of the cars there.

***

It wasn't long until we got into the city and parked at Tom's place. We took cabs to an area with a lot of high end shops, and I started getting nervous.

A lot of these places were out of my price range, and I knew most of these places wouldn't carry plus size dresses.

"Do you mind being called Lizzie?" Max asked Elizabeth suddenly

Elizabeth laughed. "Go right ahead. A lot of people call me Lizzie or even just Liz."

"Awesome! Let's go into Nordstrom first," Max said, grabbing Lizzie and I by the hands to drag us in there.

"We're going across the street to get our suits from Men's Wearhouse," Chris told us.

The guys left and we went into Nordstrom.

I had a feeling that this was NOT going to be a fun day of shopping for me...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos are always much appreciated! Thanks everyone for being awesome!!


	22. Chapter 22: "Is Chris a boob man or an ass man?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie nearly gives up while shopping for a dress to wear to the premiere of Knives Out. She gets VERY stubborn about the money being spent. Chris and Evie get teased relentlessly by their friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! This chapter is full of fluff mostly. Just a lot of fun and teasing...maybe a teeny tiny bit of angst but hey...being a plus sized woman trying to find a dress to wear when your two skinny friends literally can pull any dress off the rack and have it be perfect is really freaking stressful!

We were over an hour in to our journey for dresses in Nordstrom, and I was freaking the fuck out.

Lizzie and Max had found dresses almost the minute we walked in the door. They picked a few out, tried them on, and boom each had found their dress within 10 minutes. Max had picked out a gorgeous deep red dress that matched her hair almost perfectly. It was a fitted dress that had a slit that went to mid thigh on both legs, and it had a back so low you could almost see her ass. The neck plunged low in front too...but then Max didn't have to wear a bra so this dress was perfect for her. It did have some black beading that started at the top with just a few, but then more beads got added the further down the dress they went. She found beautiful black pumps to match, and a black shawl to wear over top of it until we got in the door. Lizzie found a beautiful dark green dress that had more of an a-line style. It was pleated at the bottom of the dress, and was low in front with a sheer back. The back part had sparkles throughout the sheer material, and she was able to find a pair of very high heels that matched the same color green perfectly.

Me, on the other hand...I had gone through racks upon racks of dresses. I had tried on so many that my head was spinning. While most of the time, I loved shopping and didn't mind having to try things on...this was a nightmare. Some of them were too tight, some of them were too big, some fit me...but they made me look like a whale or emphasized everything wrong about my body.

"Evie, there's gotta be a dress here. Look how big this plus size section is! We have to find something here," Max said, trying to help encourage me.

"Let's look at this rack here," Lizzie suggested, and it was the very last rack of dresses...I had been through all the rest.

Of course, this is when the guys decided to be done. They came back with garment bags with their suits in them and bags with their shoes.

"Hey, how's it going? You guys find dresses yet?" Chris asked. Out of the corner of my eye, I had seen Lizzie and Max trying to gesture to him to get him to not ask, but he hadn't picked up on any signals yet. "What?" he asked them, finally seeing they were trying to tell him something.

"I haven't found anything yet," I mumbled, trying to concentrate on picking out dresses. I picked a couple more out in my size, and went to the dressing room yet again. This was my 6th time going to the dressing room, and I was sweating to death from panic at thinking I wouldn't be able to find a dress. We didn't have time to go to another store! It was almost 2 and we still had to get me shoes, get all the way back across town, get ready...

After a few minutes, I was nearly in tears. "I hate ALL of these!" I yelled to Max and Lizzie on the other side of the door. "I'm never going to find a dress."

"Look, calm down...we'll find-"

"Hey uh...Max? Would Evie like this dress? It's her size," I heard Chris say from outside of the fitting room.

I heard Max walk over to him. "I think she said she didn't like that one...but let me see."

Seconds later, she was knocking on my door. "Open up. I'm coming in there with you," Max said. I cracked the door open and she came in with a flowery dress.

"Flowers?" I muttered, looking at the dress. "I went right past that one. It's so..."

"Evie, shut the fuck up and try it on. This dress is your size and it's gorgeous."

I looked at the dress again...and I guess it was okay. It had a floor length a-line skirt, an illusion v-neck that went deeper but had a small triangle of sheer material, a v-neck back that zipped up but wasn't too low, and a beaded bodice. The color of the dress was called blush floral, and the bodice was beaded in all different colored beads. It was sleeveless too, and I realized as I inspected the dress further that it was actually really pretty. I had passed right over it because I wasn't crazy about the pattern but...

"I'll try it," I said. I stripped back down to my undergarments and put the dress on.

"Whoa," Max said.

"Let me see!" Lizzie begged, trying to get the door open. Max opened the door for her, and her jaw dropped. "Wow! You have to get this dress! It looks incredible on you!"

"Bud, this dress was made for you. If you get a small heel, you won't even have to hem it," Max said.

The dress...really was beautiful on me. Even I was amazed by this Cinderella- like transformation.

"What size shoe are you?" Lizzie asked. "I saw the perfect shoes."

"Um...an 8 unless they are really narrow. Then an 8.5."

"Be right back!" Lizzie shouted before running.

"What happened with the dress?" I heard Chris ask.

"Not now! Too busy!" I heard Lizzie yell from nearly across the store.

"Evie, you really look beautiful." Max turned my around. "The bra may be a problem. Did you bring the boob tape bra cups?"

I sighed. "Yes. I wish I didn't have to wear a bra...unlike some people." I glared at her jokingly.

She shrugged and cupped her small breasts over her shirt. "I've got less than a handful. I'm lucky Seb is more of an ass man."

"Ew."

She laughed. "Is Chris a boob man or an ass man?"

It was my turn to laugh. "Both. So good thing I got plenty of both."

"Oh come on...he has to prefer one over the other."

I thought about that for a minute. "Maybe ass?"

"He beg you for anal yet?"

"Max!" I gasped at her. "Can we NOT have this conversation right now?"

"Oof he did, huh? You turned him down? You never were one for that shit. 'This is meant as an exit...not an entrance'," she quoted me, imitating me almost perfectly.

"We can HEAR you out here," Chris shouted from the door.

I glared at Max. "Did ya hear that Max? All the guys heard my feelings about anal. Are you happy now?"

She shrugged. "I mean as long as Chris is happy in bed-"

"I believe Chris is quite happy in bed," I told her.

"Seconded," Chris yelled from outside the fitting room area.

"Oh...so you HAVE done anal. I'm so impressed-"

"Oh my fucking god. Max please shut the fuck up about anal," Lizzie said as she appeared outside my fitting room again. "Chris is bright red and the other guys are trying so hard not to laugh they are turning purple. Here." She handed me 2 boxes of shoes (the same shoe in two sizes) and a shawl.

The shawl was a blush color and had sparkles throughout the cloth. It was sheer, so it wasn't too heavy...it matched the dress perfectly. The shoes were only about 2 inches high and were a shiny silver color. They were just regular pumps, but just didn't have as big of a heel. The 8.5 fit me perfect.

"Thank god I can stop trying things on now," I muttered as Max and Lizzie both left my stall and I shut the door to change.

When I changed back into my regular clothes, I grabbed the dress, the shoes, and the shawl and started following the girls out of the fitting room. I looked at the tags on everything. The shoes were $50, the shawl was $75 and the dress was... $558.00?!?!

I stopped dead in my tracks, making Max and Lizzie run into the back of me. Unfortunately, we were now in sight of the guys, and Chris saw me stop with the price tag in my hand.

"Evie," he warned me. "Don't you dare."

"No. No way. This is $558.00! This outfit is going to cost me over $700.00 with the tax. I can't afford this-"

Before I could get anything else out, Max grabbed the dress from me, and Lizzie grabbed the shoes and the shawl right out of my arms. I gasped as I watched my two friends run the last few steps to Chris and hand him my outfit. I watched with my jaw dropped as Tom grabbed Chris's suit and bags.

"Make a run for it," Lizzie told Chris. "We'll stop her."

I was running for the exit of the fitting room before she finished talking, but Chris was already gone with my $700.00 outfit in his hands and he was flying toward the check out desk.

Max and Lizzie actually grabbed both of my arms to stop me.

"Let me go. I am not letting him pay for that-"

"Evie, shut up and let him do it. He wants to. He told us to help you find a dress and he didn't care about the cost because he was treating you. This is for HIS movie. That dress looks beautiful on you, and you are letting him get it for you," Max was telling me. Her face was close to my ear and she was speaking in a low menacing voice.

I took a few deep breaths and stopped struggling to get away from them. I let out a big sigh. I wasn't going to win this fight. There was no way I could afford it anyway, and since I couldn't find another dress...

Chris came back a few minutes later with the dress wrapped in a garment bag and the other things in a smaller shopping bag.

Max and Lizzie stepped away, and the two of them went for the check out desk with Seb and Mackie in tow. Tom came up to stand at my side.

"Don't be mad at him," Tom whispered to me.

"I'm not mad." I blew out a breath and looked at Chris. He was smiling at me, as if not completely sure if I was mad or not. "I'm not mad. I'm just-"

"Stubborn. I know," Chris said, walking forward to give me a kiss. "Just let me win this one, okay? It's for my movie...and technically I picked the dress out so..."

I rolled my eyes at him, but kissed him back softly. "How did you pick out such a pretty dress?"

"I grew up with 2 sisters who liked to shop with my mom. I'm not completely oblivious to women's fashion," he said. "Plus...nieces remember?"

I nodded and Chris took his bags back from Tom. I took the actual shopping bags from Chris and let him hold the big garment bags since they were awkward.

"Do you need anything else?" Chris asked as we made our way through the store to meet up with the others at check out. He was looking at the make-up and jewelry as we passed.

"No!" I said a little too fast. "I mean...really I'm good. I have jewelry and make-up. I can work with what I have," I told him. "But thank you very much for the outfit. I do love it."

He grinned at me. "Let's get out of here."

***

Hours later, I was in a separate room in Tom's apartment with Lizzie and Max. The three of us were helping each other get ready by doing each other's hair and make-up. We were also helping each other pick out jewelry to wear with our dresses.

It was getting close to 6:30, and I knew we needed to hurry up and get our dresses on. "Guys, get dressed. It's 6:30 already!"

"Fuck," Max cursed through gritted teeth as she got into her dress. Max helped Lizzie with her zipper while I put the stupid tape bra on and then slid into my dress. Max zipped me up in back, and I slipped my heels on. I adjusted my boobs into place a little better, put on my jewelry and was ready except for my purse. I grabbed the small silver clutch and put my phone, inhaler and license in it as well as some money.

"Hey, we have to get outside," Tom said from outside our door.

The three of us stared at each other, making sure everything was good with our outfits, hair, and make-up and nodded. Max opened the door, and Tom stood there taken aback for a moment.

"Wow," he said, "you all look exceptionally beautiful." I tried not to notice the fact that he wasn't even looking at the other two...just me.

I think Lizzie and Max unfortunately noticed though because they exchanged a weird look with each other that I didn't understand.

"Thanks, Tom," I said, brushing past him to go to the living room.

The guys all looked great in their suits. Mackie's was a gorgeous subtle pinstripe suit in dark gray with light blue shirt and tie and black shoes. Seb was wearing a black suit with a dark red shirt and tie and black shoes. Tom was wearing a plain dark gray suit with a dark blue shirt and tie and brown shoes.

The sight of Chris actually stopped me in my tracks for a moment. He was wearing a navy blue suit, a white shirt, and a teal green tie with brown shoes. The green tie was just the right accent for the outfit, and the whole thing set off his blue eyes like they were the color of Caribbean ocean waters. Blue with even a little hint of green.

He was looking at me like he swallowed his tongue and couldn't find his voice, so I was assuming he liked how I looked too. "W-wow...you look...just-"

Seb clapped Chris on the back. "Punk, we don't have time for this shit. We gotta get downstairs pronto. Gawk at your girl in the limo."

Chris turned and glared at Seb, making him back off with a sheepish grin. When Chris turned back to me, I started walking toward him.

"Don't you dare kiss him! You will fuck up your make-up and we have zero time left here," Max warned me, grabbing my wrist.

I pouted at Chris and he laughed. "Later, babe. But my god you look incredible," he told me, helping me put my shawl on. We all rushed out of Tom's apartment and to the elevator.

"Thanks. You are looking quite incredible yourself," I told him, letting him grab my hand.

"You two better not forget about the terms of this outing," Mackie warned us as we got outside to the limo.

We rolled our eyes and said as one, "Yes, Dad."

The rest of our group laughed and Mackie rolled his eyes. "You guys are hilarious. Even talking in sync now. Great. Because one person like Chris Evans wasn't enough," he muttered under his breath and I laughed.

"Mackie, do you need someone to tell you how handsome you look too?" I teased.

We got into the limo and Lizzie said, "I've already told him. He doesn't need another woman to boost his ego." She winked at me.

We all got in our seats, the driver shut the door and we were off. We drank a bottle of champagne on the ride there, which took almost a full hour, and then the limo was stopping right in front of the building the premiere was being held at. I could hear the press and fans screaming from outside of the doors, and I gripped my purse nervously in my lap.

"Don't let the press attack you. Just get out and go right in. We may get stalled a little, but just go straight through the doors and wait for us. We'll be right behind you," Chris said.

We'd decided on the way here to let Max and I go first. If we came out of the limo after all the rest of our group, they would surely try to corner us and question us.

We got out, and a few members of the press snapped pictures, but not many once they realized we were probably no one important. We quickly went up the steps and got in the doors just as the screams started escalating when Mackie and Lizzie stepped out. Tom went out next, then Seb, and then Chris.

When Chris got out, the noise level outside became unbelievable. Once everyone saw Chris it was easy for Lizzie, Mackie, Seb and Tom to slip away from the crowd and into the building to stand with us.

I watched Chris from the glass doors, and was amazed how much at ease he seemed moving through the enormous crowd. He stopped and talked to fans, he answered questions for the press, he posed for pictures.

It took awhile, but he finally got to the doors, and we opened it for him. Security held back the crowd and shut the doors once he was inside and then blocked them. They got rushed by the crowd of people, but there were so many guards that they were able to hold the crowds back.

Inside the building, there were still photographers and some press, but not like outside. There were maybe about 10-20 people inside, and they had better manners. They didn't all rush Chris at once, and they weren't overly nosey just yet.

We walked through the room as a group, and took some pictures. A few people asked who we were, and Chris, Mackie, Seb, Tom and Lizzie took turns telling everyone we were friends of theirs who came to enjoy the movie. One of them did ask our names, but as one big group we ignored them and moved to a different room that held the rest of Chris's cast mates, crew, and director of the movie.

Tom squeezed my arm, letting me know he was by me, and I had Chris squeeze my other arm before we went in.

I could do this...I could do this...I could do this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this chapter is cute...
> 
> Anyone picking up on some subtle Tom vibes? He's definitely showing a few signals that Evie isn't....REALLY picking up on right now. But...well you'll see!
> 
> COMMENTS AND KUDOS KEEP ME HAPPY! <3


	23. Chapter 23: "What are friends for?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Evie finally get some much needed time with each other after the premiere, but Evie does something that makes her rethink everything. Tom reaches out to her to try and help her get through her thoughts...but Chris gets a little jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Diving into some smut and drama in this one!
> 
> I'm sorry in advance for leaving this on a cliffhanger...
> 
> I PROMISE I'll update again in a few days!!!

The movie was fantastic! Chris brought out such a different side of himself in that role, and I just absolutely loved it.

For the movie, I had sat between Tom and Chris, and it was so hard not to just reach over and hold Chris's hand. I resisted....somehow.

Now that the movie was over, we got more photographs taken. Some press people actually wanted Max and I in the pictures, which shocked me. I was wondering what kind of story they were going to try and spin about us. But I genuinely had a great night.

It was past midnight when we finally got back to Tom's apartment. Somehow, none of us were drunk which was like a miracle considering the amount of champagne I knew we had downed.

I immediately went to the room Chris and I were in and carefully ripped the tape bra off. "Fuck," I cursed softly, and after a minute or two, my boobs were free.

Chris unzipped my dress for me before he started undressing, and we both hung our clothes up nicely and put them in the closet.

I still had my underwear on when Chris pressed his chest against my bare back. "You did so good tonight," he reassured me.

"I did good? Babe, that movie was great. That role was just..." I turned toward him and took a moment to tease him by making the same face he did in the movie and mouthed 'wow'. As soon as the trailer had come out months ago, the internet immediately made a gif of that moment.

He laughed and his hands cupped my butt. "Shower?"

I nodded and we quickly went in. We took a fast shower, and I made sure all the residue from the tape came off my breasts. It was kind of like when you take off a bandage or tape from a tattoo or blood work. Sometimes you had to scrub the sticky stuff off.

When we were clean and dry, we fell against the bed naked and turned toward each other.

"So what do you think the internet will say tomorrow?" I asked him.

"Fuck the internet," he whispered, his body leaning over mine, his lips brushing mine.

"Oh...language, Captain."

He kissed me hard, and I cupped his jaw with my hands to get deeper into the kiss.

He moved on top of me, and I wrapped my arms and legs around him as the kiss grew into something more...like a fire that couldn't be put out. I needed him so badly that it was overwhelming.

I felt his hard cock press against me, and my nails dug into his back as I moaned into the kiss. He pulled back, his chest panting for air as he reached for the nightstand. I untangled myself from his body and watched as he quickly put a condom on.

"I need you to be inside of me right now," I begged, my hands reaching up to tease my own nipples. I let one hand run down my body to play with my sensitive clit.

Chris watched me for a minute, his eyes roaming up and down my body. "Fuck, Evie. You are making me lose every fucking ounce of my control."

"Then stop talking and fuck me!" I ordered.

He made a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a groan. Chris pulled me down the bed a little, and then he straddled my left leg and pulled my right one straight up so my foot rested on his shoulder. My hands got pushed away, and then he used his hand to guide himself into me.

I writhed beneath him, my hands gripping the comforter beneath me. He hadn't used lube so he was working to get himself inside of me. It almost hurt, but then my fingers went back to my clit and made it more pleasure than anything else.

When he was in me as far as the position would allow, he gripped my right leg and kissed the inside of my ankle. "Is this okay?" he asked.

I wiggled experimentally. "Okay I think but I can't tell until you move," I said. Chris pulled out and I gasped. Then he shoved himself back in and my body arched as I moaned loudly. "Fuck," I cursed, my body arching.

He started fucking me in short, slow thrusts, his hands gripping my leg.

"Chris," I moaned. "This feels amazing." And it did. This position allowed me to not only look in his eyes, but also to watch his cock go in and out of me.

Chris looked incredible. Every muscle in his body was flexed, and he was rolling his hips in a downward motion to thrust into me. It was like watching an exotic dancer...and he was all mine.

All too soon, the feelings of an impending orgasm were hitting me, especially when he moved one of his hands from my leg to start rubbing my clit in slow circles, timing them with every thrust.

"Wait," I begged. "I don't-"

He cut me off. "Go. I'm not done with you yet, and after this one I can go faster and deeper." His voice was low, and I knew he was controlling himself well for now, but soon his control would be gone.

And that excited me more than anything. I let the orgasm roll over me, my head throwing back and moaning out into the room as I clenched over his cock.

He kept thrusting slowly, but I could see on his face he was going to lose control very soon.

When the orgasm finished, he stopped for a few seconds and pulled out of me. My body ached from being in that position for so long. He moved me around and propped pillows underneath my hips and lower back so my body was in a sort of half bridge. I bent my knees and planted my feet flat on the bed to help steady myself. He kneeled in front of me, and now it would be easier for him to thrust right into me, which he did very suddenly.

"Fuck," I cursed. He had been right...the first orgasm helped loosen me up and relax me enough that he could go deeper without hurting me.

His hands gripped my hips as he pumped hard and fast into me, and my nails dug into his arms and anything else I could reach.

I was moaning his name over and over and over. His eyes were mad with lust, and I knew he had no control left. He was thrusting into me so hard, so fast and so deep that it should have hurt but didn't.

Sweat was running down our bodies, and I already felt the next orgasm building, but held it off so we could go together this time.

"Evie," he choked out.

My eyes, which had been closed, flew open and looked at him. Our eyes met and locked on each other. He kept fucking me in hard thrusts, his eyes searching mine...for what, I didn't know. But I couldn't look away.

He slowed his thrusts enough to free one hand and start rubbing my clit again.

I fought my writhing body so that my eyes stayed on his. This time when the orgasm slammed into me, his hit him at the same time. We stared into each other's eyes for as long as possible, and I knew he was seeing straight into my soul just like I was seeing straight into his. Finally my body won and I had to break eye contact when my back arched and my head threw back on the pillows as I shouted in release.

When our orgasms subsided, we both stayed perfectly still for a minute as we tried to catch our breath. My legs were shaking from holding my own weight up, and I quickly pulled the pillows from beneath my hips. I moved my lower body down, making him pull out of me. I cried out as he slowly slipped from me and then I laid limply on the bed. He fell next to me, and both of us just laid there and stared at the ceiling.

Chris grabbed my hand in his, and I squeezed his hand once our fingers laced together.

"Fuck, Evie. 4 weeks was too long."

I let go of his hand and turned onto my side to rest my head on his chest. I placed my right hand on his heart, feeling that his heart was still racing.

"Yeah." I propped myself up so I could look at him. "Are we sex fiends?"

He laughed and turned on his side to face me. "Maybe. Is that a bad thing?"

I shrugged and kissed him softly. "Not sure. I've always liked sex, but damn...it took a long time to find someone who actually makes me love sex. There was only one other guy I've been with who actually made me orgasm during sex."

He stared at me incredulously. "No way."

I laughed at the look on his face. "Yes, way. And you're the first person to ever get me to orgasm twice during sex. For me, I have to be completely comfortable with someone to orgasm...and I just never felt like that much. Guys always made it seem like there was something wrong with me....until I figured out I should just fake it and take care of it myself later."

He looked deep in though for a minute. "Hm....so next time I should try for 3 orgasms from you?" he joked.

I whacked his chest with my hand. "Only if you want me to die."

"Nah...what would be the fun in that? I'm not into necrophilia."

I laughed so hard that tears came to my eyes. "Oh my god," I choked out, wiping off my face. "This is why I love you."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I froze. He froze. Both of us froze. I think time even stopped for a second. "Aw, shit, Chris. I don't-I mean. Fuck." I was muttering quietly. "Evie, you stupid fuck."

I pulled away from him and got out of the bed. That was the stupidest thing ever. It just blurted out of my mouth! Like...like word vomit. I didn't mean it...

Oh, fuck. Maybe I did mean it. Oh, Evie, you stupid, dumb shit. Even if you meant it, you can't say it this soon! Fuck fuck fuck!

"Evie, wait." He had finally recovered enough from the initial shock and was moving off the bed and coming toward me. I tried to get into the bathroom, but he blocked it. "Don't. Don't run away."

"But...I didn't mean-"

"I know. Evie, stop trying to get past me. It's fine."

I took a big, deep breath and looked him in the eye. "Sorry."

He shook his head and moved forward to kiss me. "Don't be sorry. It's fine."

I kissed him back. "Okay....but I do have to go to the bathroom," I said.

"Oh," he said with a laugh and then moved out of my way.

When I got into the bathroom, I locked the door and leaned against it. The door was cold against my naked body. I went over to the toilet and used it and then cleaned myself up some more. I was stalling a little to go back out there.

This was stupid. It was a slip of the tongue. We weren't at the 'I love you' point in our relationship yet...and yet...

Did I feel it? 

Crap. I think I did. What did this mean? I didn't want to be the first one to say it! I'd only ever told one other man that I was dating that I loved him and that had ended horribly.

Fuck. I've been in here too long...

I finished up in the bathroom and went back out. Chris smiled at me.

"You okay?" he asked.

I nodded at him. "I'm good. Just worn out and tired now," I said with a small smile.

He kissed me gently, making my heart flutter in my chest. "Let's get to bed. I'm just gunna use the bathroom first."

I watched him go and then turned off the light and crawled under the blankets. I was asleep before he even got out of the bathroom.

***

I woke up at 5 am and couldn't fall back asleep. I tossed and turned for a while, trying to get back to sleep but it was no use. As quietly as I could, I got up from the bed and put on my good sports bra, a v-neck t-shirt, and a pair of yoga pant capris. I grabbed my phone and then silently left the room.

Tom's apartment was big and not very familiar to me in the dark, so I put on the flashlight on my phone, and went out to the living room.

I turned on a small lamp by the couch, and sat down.

My brain was currently in overdrive. My heart was telling me that I loved Chris. But my brain was signaling to abort mission. I had been hurt in the past...especially when I had told another man that I loved him.

My one boyfriend in college had made me feel comfortable with him....comfortable enough that my feelings escalated quickly into love.

Oh, how stupid I had been then. I admitted to him that I loved him, he told me he loved me back...and then convinced me to lose my virginity to him. The day after we had sex, he dumped me and was dating another girl the same night.

Since then, I'd had battles with myself with men where I would convince myself I didn't love them, or I didn't let myself love them. At this point, I had yet to figure out which.

If I told Chris I love him, would he run the other way?

I held my head in my hands and tugged at the hair on my head in frustration.

"Are you okay?"

I jumped off the couch and nearly shrieked until I saw it was Tom standing just a few feet away from me in the living room. He was holding his hands out as if to say 'Easy, girl...I'm not gunna hurt you' like a cowboy approaching a timid horse.

"You keep scaring the hell out of me," I told him, sitting back down on the couch. He was dressed in a pair of jogging shorts and nothing else. He must have heard me get up. "Did I wake you?"

Tom shook his head. "Not really. I've been awake for a bit and couldn't fall back asleep. I heard your door open and saw the light from your phone going down the hall. I just wanted to see if it was you or Chris up and if you were okay."

"I was restless and couldn't fall back asleep."

He beckoned me to follow him to the kitchen, so I did. He put on the tea kettle and went around preparing things to make tea for us. "Do you like your tea with milk and sugar?"

"Yes. Light and sweet please."

He nodded and went back to making the tea. He was silent as he made it. I sat myself down at the island countertop on a tall stool, and watched him make tea. His hair was tousled and messy, like he had slept on it while it was wet and hadn't bothered brushing it out. His curls were tighter and messier this way, unlike normal when his hair was neater and more wavy. He probably lost some curl to his hair when he brushed it. His glasses were on his face, but his eyes looked tired from lack of sleep....as I'm sure mine did. His beard was growing out too, which made him even more attractive. His nose was much more prominent than Chris's, as if that should have made him less attractive but it didn't.

I couldn't help but notice how lean and long his body was, and the shorts, which hit him mid thigh, emphasized the muscles in his long legs. I wish I didn't notice him this way, but he was an attractive dude and we kept running into each other while he didn't have a lot of clothes on. So fucking sue me.

When the tea was ready, he looked over at me from the counter. "Want to see my favorite spot in the whole city?"

I grabbed my tea from him and nodded. "Yes, of course."

He led me back to the living room and stopped at a closet. He set his tea down and pulled out a pair of slippers and robe for himself, and an extra pair of slippers and a big blanket for me. I put my tea down and slid the slippers on and wrapped the blanket around myself. He put his own robe and slippers on, we grabbed our cups of tea, and then he led me to the big set of blinds in his living room. He pulled them back and revealed a big set of glass doors that lead to a balcony.

"Whoa," I said as he pulled open the door, revealing a breathtaking view of the city and the sunrise in the sky. It was chilly, and I wrapped the blanket tighter around me and stepped outside. The balcony was big...maybe around 22 feet wide by 6 feet deep. He had a few tables and chairs out there as if he sometimes had dinner parties out here. I don't remember seeing it when we were here for his party. But then again....he may have kept it locked up since we had been drinking. The railing of the balcony was maybe about 4.5 feet tall, so that would not have gone over well with drunk and high people for sure.

I sat on a small outdoor wicker seat that was made for 2 people and set my tea on the small table on my side. Tom sat next to me, and held his cup in his hands for warmth.

The sky was beautiful on these early morning hours, the sun slowly coming over the horizon and causing the most beautiful of colors to mix in with the city's skyline. I had never seen something so beautiful...except maybe sunset from the Empire State Building. That had been breathtaking as well.

"This is beautiful," I said, holding my blanket tighter against me. It was November and fall was quickly being chased away by winter. I knew it was too cold to sit here for long, but for now I would sit and enjoy the view. I took a few pictures and then drank my tea to help keep me warm.

"When I can't sleep, whether it's still dark out or early morning like this, I come out here and just look at the view. It helps put my mind at ease and gives me some clarity."

I finished the tea and put it down before wrapping my arms back in the blanket. "Chris's backyard has that effect on me and I've only been there once. He has a porch swing, and Dodger likes to sit on the swing with whoever is there. I drank coffee and pet Dodger until the fog lifted from my head. But this is nice too. I wish I had somewhere like this at my apartment I could go."

I felt him looking at me and I turned to face him. "What do you do when you need to clear your head?" he asked, his eyes serious as he stared at me.

I looked into his eyes. His eyes were beautiful. Blue just like Chris's, though the 2 colors were vastly different. Chris's reminded me of the bluest of oceans or the bluest skies. Tom's reminded me of the ocean too, but the kind of ocean that was blue and gray with an impending storm...the same for a sky. His would probably look gray with the right color shirt on while Chris's tended to lean more toward blue or green. "Honestly? Sometimes for me reading a book helps. Almost like if I take myself out of this world, even for a little while, it keeps my mind off of things."

"But it doesn't give you clarity."

I frowned at him and shivered. "Umm..."

He saw me shiver and frowned. "Let's go back inside," he said. When we were back in, I sat back on the couch with the blanket still around me and tucked my legs up under me on the couch. Tom went to go put our empty mugs in the sink and then he sat down on the couch with me.

"I don't know what I do for clarity," I admitted, and he looked me in the eye again. "I guess...sometimes when my anxiety becomes too much, I feel like I'm in a perpetual fog. Sometimes I have panic attacks, but now Chris taught me a trick to help with that."

"But you need something else to help you. Have you ever tried yoga?"

"Yeah. I like it, but I don't go to classes much."

"Let's do some now." He stood up and slid off his robe and slippers, leaving him in just the shorts again.

"Right now?"

"Right now. You need to clear your mind, don't you?"

I sighed and pushed the blanket away from me. "Yes."

We pushed the coffee table away, and then Tom showed me some breathing techniques and a bunch of yoga poses. Some of them were difficult, but for the most part I knew them all or least had seen the poses before. My favorite was child's pose and tree pose. When I did tree pose, I felt like I could stand that way for a very long time with my eyes closed, and I finally understood what he meant by getting clarity.

It was like something clicked, and I felt centered again and like the fog in my brain cleared up.

When I opened my eyes, Tom was smiling at me. "You just stood like that for 15 minutes and I bet you didn't realize it. You feel better now, don't you?"

"Yes. I didn't know you were into yoga."

"It's really relaxing. There are even poses you can do as a couple. You could get Chris to do some with you."

He showed me a few of the easier poses for 2 people, and then on his phone showed me how many more there were, but they were much more complicated.

Tom and I sat on his floor and did a pose where we sat with our legs crossed beneath us. We were facing each other and our knees were touching, and I was holding on to his forearms, and he was gripping my elbows. We leaned our heads back and stretched.

After holding it for a bit, we let go of each other's arms but continued to sit on the floor facing each other.

"Do you want to talk about whatever was keeping you awake?"

"I accidentally told Chris I loved him....right after we had sex."

Tom winced a little and leaned back on the palms of his hands. "Yikes."

I pulled one knee up and hugged it to my chest. "I didn't even mean it like that. He said something funny and I had like word vomit and said ,'This is why I love you'. I knew the second I said it that I fucked up, but he was so...cool and understanding about it. He knew what I meant. But then...I couldn't help but think...do I?"

"And do you?"

I sighed. "I feel crazy saying this, but yes."

"Why feel crazy?"

"Because we haven't been dating long. Because this bubble of happiness wears off so fast at the beginning of a new relationship. Because we haven't gone public yet. Because he hasn't met my family yet."

"You're not crazy."

"I am a little." I looked over at him and sighed. "I love him."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "But why are you getting in your own head about it?"

"In college, I told my boyfriend at the time I had loved him. He told me he loved me back. So of course the classic next move was to give my virginity to him. And of course his classic next move was to dump me the very next morning and start dating someone else."

"The male species is particularly despicable...especially during college years."

"Agreed for most men."

"Chris isn't most men."

"Neither are you," I pointed out. "But...I haven't told anyone I dated since then that I loved them."

"You'll know when it's the right time to tell him."

I sighed. "Yeah I hope so." I paused and looked at him and he was smiling softly at me. "Thanks, Tom. You seem to have a way of knowing when I need to talk, and you always have the right things to say."

We stood up and we hugged each other.

"What are friends for?" he said.

"Hmm, interesting question," I heard Chris say from the entrance to the living room by the hallway. He sounded pissed. "What are friends for? Are friends for hitting on your girlfriend while you're sleeping?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SAID I WAS SORRY FOR THE CLIFFHANGER!
> 
> *runs and hides*
> 
> *peeks out of hiding spot* Uhh...comments please?


	24. Chapter 24: "So I'M stupid because I had no idea? Is that it?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris's jealously brings something to light that Evie is not sure she wanted to hear. They fight, Evie leaves, and Lizzie and Max help her take her mind off of things for awhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Today has been absolute shit. I hope you're all doing okay. I'm really not, but I'm bringing you this update anyways.
> 
> I know the beginning of this is rough but it gets better! And...don't fear about Tom. I PROMISE things will move forward with that soon.
> 
> Enjoy!

I stepped away from Tom and looked at Chris in shock. "What?"

Chris came toward us, his arms crossed under his chest. "He heard me."

"Chris, really? You're going to come in here mad at me for talking to Tom because I couldn't sleep?" I rolled my eyes.

Chris shook his head. "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at him. He's been giving out signals left and right that he likes you."

My jaw dropped in shock. "Have you gone insane? What are you talking about? Tom doesn't like me. We're just friends!"

Chris looked at me and then back to Tom. "Tell her."

I stood off to the side between Tom and Chris, looking back and forth between them both. Chris looked mad, but not the maddest I've ever seen him. And Tom? He wasn't mad at all. Why wasn't he mad that Chris was acting like a jealous ass? "Guys, what the fuck?"

Of course everyone else chose that moment to come out of their rooms. When they saw the 3 of us standing there, they stopped and looked at us. I don't know what I would have said to them because Tom suddenly spoke.

"Chris is right."

"Wait, WHAT?" My eyebrows raised in shock and now I crossed my arms under my chest too. "No. Tom we're friends."

Tom sighed and turned to me. "Evie, we are friends, but I have feelings for you. Chris is right."

Chris looked at me. "I'm not just being a jealous ass. I'm not stupid...I knew what he was doing."

Now I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. "So I'M stupid because I had no idea? Is that it?"

Chris looked dumbfounded. "No! That's not what I'm saying at all! Don't fucking put words in my mouth. I'm saying I've seen the way he looks at you, and I've chosen to ignore it, but not anymore. Not when I wake up and find my girlfriend not in our bed...but out here with someone who clearly likes her."

"You know I have not hit on her. I wouldn't do that. Chris, she is crazy about you! I know my boundaries," Tom said.

"Your boundaries are following her out here and...putting your hands on her?" Chris said, and now I saw some real anger there.

Tom suddenly looked angry too. I saw Mackie and Seb subtly step closer to us, as if they thought they might have to break up a fight.

"Chris, seriously? Now you're being an ass. We hugged! All I've done is talk to him all morning about how I feel about you, you freaking idiot." I rubbed my face in frustration. "What am I supposed to do with this? What purpose did bringing this to light serve for you, Chris? If your purpose was to make me upset...then congratulations." I tried to move past them both, but suddenly had both of them grabbing my right arm. Chris had grabbed my hand and Tom had grabbed my elbow.

I looked at them and they glared at each other. "Oh for god's sake. Both of you let me the fuck go. I'm leaving." I pulled my arms from their hands and started walking back to the room Chris and I were staying in.

"Evie, where are you going to go?" Chris asked, and I didn't turn to see his face as I went into the hallway.

"Out. I don't know where. I don't fucking care. Anywhere that isn't here with you two."

***

After locking myself in our room, I took 5 minutes to shower (I didn't wash my hair...I just put it up in a bun) and then 5 minutes to dress in jeans, sneakers, a long sleeve shirt and my North Face jacket. I grabbed my purse, made sure I had my wallet, inhaler and phone, and then went out the door.

When I opened the door to the hallway, Max and Lizzie were there waiting for me.

"Let's go have some girl time," Lizzie said. Her and Max grabbed my hands and quickly led me out of the apartment and past the guys who were still in the living room. I had heard raised voices, but couldn't make out the words. The guys stopped talking as we went through the living room and left.

The girls lead me to the elevator, down to the lobby of the building and out to the street to hail a cab.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Where do you want to go?" Max asked, hugging me to her. "You said anywhere but there with them."

I thought about that for a moment. "I know it's Sunday, but do you think any salons are open? I would love to get my toes done and my hair done."

"Babe," Max said. "We're in the city. There's gotta be something open...but you know that also means it will be expensive."

"I don't care," I said.

***

A few hours later, I had dropped about $100 on a pedicure and a haircut. I hadn't even done anything that fancy, and we had gone to a place that wasn't very well known. But I didn't care. My toes were a pretty sparkly gold color for Thanksgiving, and the woman who had painted them put little pumpkins on my big toes. I loved it. I was obsessed with everything pumpkin.

I hadn't done much to my hair other than trim a few inches off and put a lot more long layers in it. It had gotten too long for me...down to the middle of my back was way too long. Now it was down to my mid-shoulder blade area. The stylist also angled the front around my face to frame it. When I put my glasses on to look at myself, I loved how my hair looked now.

Max and Lizzie had just gotten trims and pedicures too. Now the three of us were heading to a Starbucks down the street to get some coffee and a bite to eat.

Lizzie insisted on paying, which we tried to argue about, but she wouldn't even hear it. I got a pumpkin spiced latte and a pumpkin muffin and waited while they ordered theirs. I got us a table in the corner and within a few minutes they came to the table with their stuff as well as mine.

"So what was that all about back at Tom's?" Lizzie asked.

I sipped my hot coffee and looked up at them both. They were watching me closely, and I sighed. "I accidentally blurted to Chris that I loved him last night after sex." They both winced. "Yeah. I didn't mean it like that....he was being funny and making me laugh and I was just like 'This is why I love you'. I freaked out a little but he said it was fine and he understood what I meant and we went to bed. But I had a restless night of sleep because I started thinking and...I do. I do love him. But that freaked me out too."

"Why?" Lizzie asked.

"Bad experience with the first guy who I told that I love him...and he became the LAST one I ever told. And I guess I just am paranoid this will end badly if I tell him too soon. Anyway, I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep and I went out to the living room. Tom had been awake and heard me so he came and joined me. He made tea for us both and we sat on the balcony and were talking about things we do to clear our head. We went inside and he showed me some yoga to help center myself and my mind. I talked to him about Chris and how I felt about him, and then I hugged him and thanked him for being a good friend."

"And then Chris walked out and saw that and got mad?" Max guessed.

"Yeah. And I didn't get why he was jealous but then he said Tom likes me." I looked at the two of them, and the look on their faces was enough. "Oh my god. Seriously? Was I the only fucking person on the planet who didn't know?"

"Bud, Tom goes out of his way to talk to you and be nice to you. He is always staring at you when you're not paying attention," Max told me.

"Yeah....even Mackie noticed. Mackie said that Chris said something to him about it, but he didn't think it was a big deal and figured Tom would never act on it," Lizzie said before taking a bite from her pastry.

"But nothing happened! I swear. I don't-"

"Bud, we know. You're absolutely smitten with Chris. Anyone with a brain can see that. Tom knows it too which is probably why he chose not to say anything and why none of the rest of us said anything," Max explained.

I took some more sips from my coffee. "What am I supposed to do with this? I'm dating Chris. I don't like Tom like that. Sure, he's attractive, but...he's a friend. I love Chris...even when he is being an ass."

"Look, we have a close friend group. Hopefully him and Chris can come to an understanding. I'm sure you and Chris can talk it through and be fine too," Lizzie said.

"But Tom is my friend too. I don't want shit to be weird."

Max shrugged. "Hopefully his feelings will change eventually, but you can't make his feelings change overnight."

"But is Chris going to freak out if I'm still friends with Tom?" I asked.

Lizzie slowly shook her head. "Honestly? I don't think so. If him and Tom come to an understanding, things should go back to normal. I'm sure Chris knows you would never-"

"You guys know I would never...and Tom never even tried anything. I promise that."

Max said, "We know, bud. You don't have to tell us that."

We finished our food and coffees and then left the Starbucks to go walk around some shops. I didn't know what else I was supposed to say about this whole weird situation, and for the most part the girls talked to me about other things to distract me from my own thoughts...thank god.

How was I living in this universe where I was dating one of the hottest celebrities on the planet...and another one had feelings for me?

I think someone in the big upstairs must be messing with me.

***

We didn't go back to Tom's apartment until after lunch. I knew Tom wouldn't be there any longer because of his play, and I hoped that we could just go back to Long Island instead of continuing to hang around the city. It had been a long, emotional weekend, and I just wanted to be at my apartment in my own bed.

When we got back in the doors, I went to the guest room I had been staying in and put my shopping bags down. We had gone to a nearby mall that by some miracle had a hot topic, a place that Max joked was my literal place of summoning. But I loved that store!!

I had gotten a few cute tops there and then some flannel shirts at Lane Bryant along with some new bras and new underwear. I spent way more money than I should have, but I just didn't care. I had enough money in the bank that I could splurge a little bit right now. I deserved it after all the emotional bullshit.

Chris came out of the bathroom in just a pair of jeans, his body still wet from the shower as he towel dried his hair.

"Hey. I'm sorry about earlier," he said, grabbing me by my hips and pulling me to him.

"You have to parade yourself around shirtless when I'm trying to be mad at you? That's unfair," I joked, kissing his collarbone.

He held me against him and backed up so we fell to the bed together. "I'm really sorry," he said. "That was really fucked up of me to do. I didn't mean to make you upset enough to leave."

I sighed and laid my head against his naked chest. "It's just...what am I supposed to do with this? I like having Tom as a friend, but how am I supposed to keep being his friend if-"

"No, Evie, don't. Him and I talked and we're good. Honestly. This won't happen again. Tom and I are very good friends, and he really doesn't want things to be weird between any of us. He wants to be your friend."

"But I can't forget that he has feelings for me."

"I shouldn't have said anything. I shouldn't have told you. But I saw him hugging you, and after waking up without you when you had gotten weird last night after...well you know. I just lost it and I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to fuck up your friendship. I know you value his friendship a lot, and he values yours. I'm never going to be jealous of you being friends with him again. I understand now that he was never going to make a move on you, and that you don't like him like that at all."

I leaned up so I was hovering over him with my forearms leaning on his chest. "Everyone knew except me. I feel like an idiot."

"You're not. He didn't let you see it. He really is your friend."

"I don't have very many male friends, but it's nice to have someone else to talk to that isn't a woman. Women just don't get the way a guy's brain works."

"He told me you woke up because you were thinking too much about things between you and I." I just looked at him. "He didn't tell me specifics. Look, I understand that having a friend who is the opposite sex is important. Especially when you need relationship advice or even just to vent. Hell, if I didn't have Scarlett or even Lizzie to just talk to every once in a while I would go nuts. Seb and Mackie and even Tom don't understand women THAT well."

"You really did piss me off this morning."

"Fuck. I know. I know I did, and I'm so sorry. I apologized to Tom too. I promise we didn't fight or anything. After we saw you leave looking as upset as you did, I realized how badly I fucked up. Tom was pissed at me, but we talked it out. He was kind of upset you didn't come back before he left."

I shrugged. "When two people are friends, and one finds out that the other has feelings for them, it's going to make shit awkward. I didn't want to come back here and talk about it with him. I need some time to process."

Chris looked at me. "I really put a damper on this weekend."

"Chris, this weekend has been a whirlwind of emotion...both good and bad. I'm mentally exhausted, and I didn't even look at the internet to see what they could possibly be saying after last night."

"The internet is going nuts trying to figure out who you and Max are. And they're wondering if either of you are dating any of us, though they're pretty sure Max and Seb are dating since Max was pictured the most with him."

"Who does the internet think I'm dating?"

He bit his lip. "Me or Tom."

I rolled my eyes and got up off the bed. "Of course. Of course... Stupid fucking internet," I muttered, grabbing my phone.

I finally let myself look up pictures from the movie premiere, and was amazed by how many pictures and articles and posts there were. Twitter was just happy to see Chris being photographed with a "real woman" as they put it. Instagram was at war with trying to figure out who the hell I was and if I was dating Tom or Chris. People were saying some mean things about me on there. Facebook seemed to think I was dating both of them and they were cheering me on.

There were some harsher articles in the tabloids, but I didn't let myself read those fully. The pictures they had taken and put on the internet were really great, but I could see why people were trying to figure out if I was dating Chris or Tom. In the pictures I had taken with either of them or both of them, my smile was the biggest.

"Is Mark worried about any of this?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "No. He thinks it's fine. We're just going to lay low until after the holidays and then we'll go from there."

"Speaking of...what are you doing for Thanksgiving?"

"Going to Ma's for sure. She always makes a huge dinner and all of us will be there. She did ask me if you were coming, but I wasn't sure if you were going to go home or not."

I bit my lip. "I go home for Christmas usually. Thanksgiving is usually Max and I going out for Chinese food. My grandma goes to my Uncle's house, but I don't like to go there."

"Oh, then why don't you and Max come to Boston? The more, the merrier. I bet I can convince Seb to come too."

"Well, once he hears Max is going, he'll definitely go." I kissed his chest softly. "Are you sure?"

"Of course! Ma would love to see you again. The kids too. My sisters said they talked about you for days after Halloween."

I smiled against his chest. "So...I have off Wednesday to Sunday. I don't have to be back at work until Monday..."

"Really? Do you want to come up with Max on Wednesday? Dodger would love it if you were there for that many days."

"Just Dodger?" I teased, moving myself to straddle his waist.

"I mean...I would be pretty happy too," he said before pulling me down on top of him so he could kiss me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...what did you all think?
> 
> Please comment. I love when you guys comment and am in DIRE need of some love right now. Feeling like shit and very inadequate.
> 
> Also...for those who read the Avengers Lock-Down story I'll be updating it shortly!


	25. Chapter 25:"What did you do to him? I think he's broken."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving starts off fun and easy going, but an accident happens at the Evans' household on Thanksgiving day that shakes everyone up pretty badly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! SURPRISEEE!! Updating earlier than normal because I'm feeling generous and it's a holiday weekend here in the states! Happy Memorial Day to those who celebrate!
> 
> Also...I'm sorry in advance...this has some drama in it for sure. I promise I'll still update again on Tuesday though so you only have to wait two more days more more Evie and Chris!

The few days before Thanksgiving came and went in the blink of an eye.

My mom and brother had called me after seeing some pictures of me on the internet, and I'd told them about Chris and I. They were ecstatic for me that I was happy, and they wanted to meet him at Christmas if he wanted to join us. I told them I would ask him.

My coworkers also were asking me a lot of questions since they had seen the pictures too, but I didn't give them much info. The only people that knew about Chris were Liz and Craig since I was closest with them.

Tom and I had been texting back and forth over the last few days, and we were sort of just being careful with one another. He felt really bad about Sunday, and Tuesday when I got home from work I had a package from Amazon Prime that had a yoga mat in it as well as a DVD of relaxing yoga techniques, a DVD of couples' yoga, and the nicest pair of yoga pants ever. The pants were high quality and were a purple so dark it was almost black, and they had galaxies all over them. And they were in my size and fit me perfectly! I absolutely loved them. There was a note in the box that had said 'I'm very sorry for Sunday. Please forgive me. I just want us to be friends like nothing has changed. Use these to help you center your mind and put you at peace. -Tom'

On Monday at work I'd even gotten apology flowers from Chris. He knew I wasn't a flower person, but he said in the note on them 'Some apologies need flowers to go with them. Again, I'm really sorry for my behavior. -Chris'.

It was now Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, and Max and I were driving up to Boston together since we had the same amount of days off. Seb was with us too since he had been in New York the past few days so he was being tortured by us singing the 'A Star Is Born' soundtrack at the top of our lungs.

"Can we please for the love of GOD listen to something else?!" Seb screamed from the back as we finished singing 'Shallow' for probably the 5th time.

We maybe had about 2 hours left of our trip. I was driving and Max was in the front with me while Seb had the back to himself.

I rolled my eyes and turned off the soundtrack. "What do you want to listen to?"

"Anything. Anything other than freaking Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. I can't take it anymore," Seb said, leaning his head on the back of Max's seat.

Max smirked at me. "Okay, babe. We'll listen to something else," she told him as she plugged in her phone and went to her Spotify account.

When Taylor Swift came on, I heard Seb groan loudly and I burst out laughing.

We tortured him with that for the next hour, and then for the last hour we went back to playing the 'A Star Is Born' soundtrack just to fuck with him.

By the time we made it to Chris's house, I was barely able to put my Jeep into park before Seb was launching himself out the back. He actually even fell to the ground since my car was still moving a little.

"What the fuck?" I heard Chris say from his walkway.

"I can't take another minute in the car with those two!" I heard Seb say from the ground.

Max and I were laughing so hard we were crying as I finally put my car into park and turned it off. Chris came around and opened my door, a grin on his face when he saw us.

"What did you do to him? I think he's broken."

"We made him listen to us sing 'Shallow' about 15 times and then forced him to listen to Taylor Swift," Max answered before getting out of the car.

I wiped my eyes and finally stopped laughing enough to get out. Chris immediately pushed me up against the car and kissed the living daylights out of me.

"Oh my God can you two please keep it in your pants for like a few more hours?" Max said from by the trunk of my Jeep.

Chris and I pulled away from each other and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry," we both said at the same time.

Seb and Max both rolled their eyes in sync.

We got all of our stuff and made our way into Chris's house once he locked up the front gate. As soon as I opened the door, I had to drop all the stuff in my hands to catch the 40 pound ball of fluff that launched himself at me.

"Dodger! Hey, buddy! Did you miss me?"

Dodger was wiggling around in my arms like a lunatic and licking my face. I carried him to the couch in the living room and collapsed onto it with him. He ran back and forth from each end of the couch to the other, and each time he passed me he gave me more and more kisses.

"Dodge! Give Evie a break, dude," Chris said from the doorway with a laugh. Dodger stopped, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he panted in excitement. It was then that he noticed Max and Seb had come in too, so he ran over to them to greet them. They hadn't gotten as good of a greeting as I had though.

"Wow. Someone really missed me," I said as I wiped my face with the sleeves of my sweatshirt.

Chris pulled me off the couch and we went to put my stuff down in his room while Seb and Max went for the guest room.

"I'm really glad you're going to be here for a few days," Chris told me as he put my bag down on his bed.

I opened it up and took out my make-up bag and toiletry bag and went to put them on Chris's sink. "I'm glad, too. Work is starting to get on my nerves."

He sat on the bed and leaned back on the palms of his hands. "I thought you loved that job."

"I do, but...sometimes the Director can be a bit of an ass. She is older and very set in her ways, and she likes to sometimes start trouble between employees."

"How so?"

"Well," I paused as I took out a few shirts to hang up in his closet so they wouldn't stay wrinkled from being in a bag for 5 hours. "She told one of my coworkers that I didn't want them coming to talk to me in my office. Which is completely untrue! So then I had someone who was mad at me because they thought I complained to the Director about them." I sighed. "I have been there a long time, and I really do love it, but I feel like it may be time to move on into something different."

Chris was silent for a minute as he watched me hang up my shirts.

"What if you looked for jobs in Boston?"

I froze in my spot in the closet.

"I mean...not like move in with me here," he said as quickly as possible as he got up from the bed to come near me. "I just meant like...maybe you and Max could get jobs up here and move up here."

I turned toward him, biting my lip. The look on his face was...freaked, almost like he maybe regretted saying it in the first place. I put a hand on his chest and looked up at him. "Would that be...like weird?" I asked in a soft voice.

He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me close to him. "Does that mean you are open to the idea?"

"Yeah," I whispered. "I just...it has been on my mind, but I didn't want to say anything because-"

"We've only been dating for a month and a half and you didn't want me to freak out and think this is happening too fast?"

I nodded. How did he know that? "Can you read my mind?"

He laughed and cupped my face in his hands to kiss me gently. "Maybe. I just feel like I understand you well and know it'd be something you would worry about."

I bit my lip again. "But what if-"

"What if you and Max move all the way to Boston and it doesn't work out between us?"

I frowned at him. "Yes."

Chris sighed and pulled me toward the bed so we could sit down on it. "Look, I want this to work more than anything. If it didn't work out, you would do okay here. This city is huge and full of amazing opportunities. And I'm not trying to push this at all. If you want to stay in New York it's fine. The distance thing kind of sucks, but honestly, I'd do anything for you. Even if it meant coming to see you every single weekend if you couldn't always come here."

"Honestly? A change would be nice." I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I'm not trying to pressure you."

I looked at him and smiled. "I know, but with the way I feel like things are going for you and I, it would be nice to be closer to you. I have to talk to Max. I'm not sure how serious things are with her and Seb, but hasn't he been staying mostly in an apartment in New York? I don't know if she would want to leave New York if he is there."

"Seb sold his place in L.A. too. He's doing stuff with Marvel still, but most of that is filmed on a location he has to fly to anyway. He doesn't need to live out of L.A. I think both of us are really wanting a change of pace. He's thinking of getting a place in Boston too. It's not very far from New York if that's where he had to be for things, but city life is getting to him."

"I mean but Boston is a big city too...unless he is thinking more around here in Sudbury like you are."

He nodded. "Sudbury is quieter and cheaper. You and Max could honestly probably find a pretty cheap house to rent out here. It's only a half hour drive to Boston where most of the colleges are...and if you want to stick with a public library, there are local ones around here."

I laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "I'll have to look at what's out there and what the pay scale is."

He laid down next to me and grabbed my hand. We were silent for a few minutes while I mulled everything over in my head, and then Chris broke it. "My family is really excited to see you again tomorrow."

I moved to lay on my stomach and propped myself up on my forearms. "Yeah? I'm excited to see them...especially the kids."

"Mom is just glad you're coming back. She thought I blew it with you when all that crap happened in the tabloids with Jenny."

I grinned at him. "I really love your mom."

He laughed. "She loves you too. She left me a really angry voicemail when she saw the article." He cleared his throat and did his best imitation of his mother. "'Christopher Robert, what have you done now? You'll be so lucky if Evie doesn't dump you for something this stupid.'"

I laughed. "You're ridiculous. And you know it would take more than a dumb article for me to dump your ass."

He rolled his eyes at me. "As if you'd leave my ass."

"Mmm...you do have a point. It IS America's Ass after all," I pointed out. We both burst into hysterical laughter, and I felt all of my uneasiness about a potential move to Boston drift away.

***

The next morning, we were leaving to go to Chris's parents' house at 9 am. We had promised we would help Lisa prepare for the Thanksgiving meal, which would be served promptly at 3 pm. We were going to have quite a crowd of people come from what I understood, and Lisa was part Italian which meant she would be cooking for an army.

The 4 of us and Dodger arrived shortly after 9, and Lisa immediately put us to work. Seb and Chris were put on potato peeling duty together since there was like a hundred freaking potatoes (I'm not even kidding), Max was asked to help pick apart the slices of bread for the stuffing, and I was tasked with making a monstrous amount of green bean casserole.

Lisa had not one, but two 22 pound Turkeys in separate roasting pans on her big counters which was good because it meant we could use the oven freely. There was a third roasting pan that had ham in it too.

We spent hours cooking and talking and having fun, and at around noon, Chris's sisters came with their families followed by Scott shortly after.

The kids were running around and playing, asking when they could eat some food. I gave them some cut up pieces of Italian bread with butter on it to hold them over for a little while longer.

I was in the kitchen by myself for a few minutes as everyone else was either changing their clothes or helping to push the furniture around to set up big folding tables for everyone to sit at and for all the food.

4 year old Emily, the one who I had gotten close to on Halloween who ripped her Rapunzel dress, came skipping into the kitchen. "Can I help?" she asked me, pushing a chair over to the counter so she could stand on it and be up higher.

I laughed and hugged her. "Of course! Do you think you can sprinkle some of these french onions on top of the green bean casserole? Just don't touch the pan because it's hot," I told her, showing her how to do it. I'd had to cut the big green bean casserole pan in half for it to cook better, so instead of using one of those easy throw away pans, I'd had to use 2 of Lisa's glass pyrex ones which she had said was fine.

"Like this?" Emily asked me, and I was impressed she was spreading it out so evenly over the top.

"Yes! That's great. Now we can put them back in the oven and make them crispy." I put them back in the oven and put it on broil to make the top brown and crispy just like my own mom had taught me.

Emily and I stood there and waited, and after about 2 minutes I took each pan back out and set them on top of the stove.

"I wanna see!" Emily said, climbing back on the chair.

I heard a weird popping noise. "Emily, wait!" I yelled, and grabbed her off the chair and turned her into my body to shield her only a mere second before the one glass pyrex pan exploded on top of the stove in a shower of glass and burning hot food. I had turned her into my body and shielded her, so she didn't get hit, but I felt immediate pain in my left arm, left side, and a bit of my back. I had been lucky I had turned my face just enough so that none of it hit my face.

"What the hell was that?" I heard Lisa ask from the back steps, and I saw her freeze when she got to the doorway of the kitchen. "Chris!" she yelled.

There were tears going down my face as I looked at her. "Make sure Emily is okay," I pleaded with her since Emily was crying against the front of my body.

Lisa ran over and pulled Emily back from me. "She's just got a small burn on her arm," she told me and I let out a shaky breath.

Shanna and Mike came running into the kitchen since they heard Emily start crying louder, and they were quickly followed by Chris.

"What happened?" Shanna asked as she grabbed Emily and picked her up to put her arm under lukewarm water.

"Mommy, Evie got hurt! She protected me from the glass, but she got hurt and it's all my fault!" Emily was wailing into her mother's shoulder.

"Oh, fuck," Chris cursed as he looked at my arm.

I finally looked down and saw blood running down my arm in a few places and almost instantly felt dizzy. "The pyrex exploded," I explained. "Emily was right there and I heard a pop and I just...I didn't want her to get hit with the glass."

Max and Seb came into the room along with everyone else.

"Oh no," Max said, running over to me. "Chris, we gotta get her to the hospital. She's bleeding pretty bad."

"Someone get towels," Lisa ordered, and Scott ran from the room to grab some.

"Evie, don't look at the blood," Max told me as she saw me trying to look.

"I'm trying not to," I said. I had a problem with seeing a lot of blood...particularly bleeding wounds...especially on myself, and I knew from the expression on Chris's face that it wasn't really good.

"I'll take her to the hospital," Chris said, and just like that a switch flipped in him and he was Captain America standing in the middle of a battle scene or something. "Seb, go start my truck." He threw his keys to him. "Scott, hand me a towel," he said as Scott came back. Chris took one and carefully wrapped it around my arm.

I shouted from the pain, and felt bile rise up in my throat, but swallowed it back.

"Baby, I know it hurts. I'm sorry, but I just want to try and stop some of the bleeding. We're gunna go to the hospital."

"Okay," I said through the tears. He started leading me out the door, and everyone tried to come with us.

"No," Chris ordered. "Everyone stay here. Just start dinner without us. We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Emily and I are coming with you," Shanna said and climbed into the back of the truck with her daughter. "I want to get her burn checked out just in case. It blistered badly already."

Chris sat me in the front and Shanna leaned up between the seats to help hold the towel on my arm. Chris started racing for the hospital, which I found out was only minutes away. He screeched to a halt in front of the ER doors, and Shanna raced around to help me out of the truck.

"I'll park it, Chris. Just get her in there."

Once we got inside and the staff saw my arm we were being rushed right through the back. "I don't even have my I.D.," I told him.

He shook his head. "Max threw your purse to Shanna. She has it."

When the hospital staff at the front window saw the blood, I was immediately rushed back into a room.

Minutes later Shanna was bringing my purse in to us and then going out into the waiting room to wait for Emily's arm to get looked at.

Chris gave one nurse my information while two other nurses and a Doctor looked me over.

"I'm Dr. Straub," a man in his mid-40s said as he put gloves on and sanitized his hands. "What happened?"

"I'm Evie. Pyrex exploded on top of the stove, and I blocked his 4 year old niece from getting the brunt of it," I told him, wincing when he took the towel off. He threw the bloody towel on the floor in my line of sight, and I felt nauseous again so I closed my eyes and tried to take in some deep breaths.

"Evie, you okay?" Dr. Straub asked me.

"I don't like blood, and I'm in a lot of pain," I explained, gritting my teeth.

"I'm sorry. We're going to see what's going on with your arm but I have to cut off your shirt."

Damn, it had been my favorite flannel shirt!

"Fine," I muttered and felt scissors start to carefully go up my arm.

"Shit," I heard Chris quietly curse.

"How bad is it?" I asked.

"We're going to give you a shot in the arm to numb you. You've got some glass embedded in the skin of your forearm and bicep. You've got some burns too," Dr. Straub told me.

"What about my side and my back? I have pain there too."

Dr. Straub and the nurses cut off my tank top that I had under the flannel, and were about to cut off my bra when I begged them not to.

"Chris, undo my bra in back and then there is a spot where you can unhook the strap off my left shoulder instead of taking it down my arm to get it off."

Chris did what I asked and set the bra aside for me. "Babe, the nurse is asking if you're allergic to anything and have anything else they need to know about besides asthma?"

"No," I told them, and reached for his hand. "Don't leave me," I begged him, chancing a risk to open my eyes and look at him.

He was sitting in a chair next to the bed, and he grabbed my right hand. "Never."

I closed my eyes again as Dr. Straub said they were prepping the shot. I squeezed Chris's hand, but once the shot was done I started feeling numb almost instantly.

They went to work on my arm, digging out 2 pieces of glass from my forearm and 1 from my upper arm. I need deeper stitches in those places, and when they were done with my arm, I had a total of 40 stitches spread out over my whole arm in random spots. Some of the cuts hadn't been very deep and only needed a few, and there were also a lot more cuts that didn't need stitches at all. They put disinfectant on the rest of the cuts, and put some stuff on the burns. There was only one burn that was really bad on my forearm and the rest were thankfully mostly minor burns. On my side and back I only had burns from the glass hitting me, but they weren't as bad as my arm.

Dr. Straub checked me over, and found a small cut on my head hidden in my hair. He put something on that and it stung like a son of a bitch. "I think you need a stitch here," he muttered, numbing it quickly with a gel and then doing the stitch.

One of the nurses carefully combed through the rest of the hair, getting out any other glass and making sure I had no other burns or cuts. I was lucky I hadn't had anything burnt or cut below the belt or they would have cut off my pants too. They tried to, but I made them look first and there were no marks on my jeans at all that would have made them think anything was wrong there.

Through the whole ordeal, Chris sat with me and quietly talked to me about the most random things ever from the sets of all the Avengers movies. He was a great distraction.

Dr. Straub gave Chris instructions on how to help me clean everything without messing up the stitches, gave him prescriptions to fill on the way out with directions for those, and I had to get the stitches removed in exactly 1 week. I gave him the name of my local hospital, and he said he would fax everything ahead to them and they would call me to make an appointment.

I was given a blanket to wrap around myself since I couldn't really put a shirt on right now, and I held it closed with my right hand.

Dr. Straub turned to me. "You're very lucky you had on the clothes that you did. If you had worn a lighter shirt, you would have needed more stitches and had more burns. If you had turned a fraction of a second slower, you probably would have gotten cuts on your face, and if you had not shielded his niece the way you did, she would have been hurt much worse than you."

I felt tears come to my eyes yet again. "I didn't care what happened to me as long as she didn't get hurt."

Dr. Straub nodded. "I respect that. I have kids too, and I'd have done the same thing." He hesitated for a second and looked between Chris and I. "You'll make a great mom one day," he said quietly before squeezing my right shoulder and leaving the room.

We got the medicine from the nice man at the prescription window on the way out, and by the time we made it back out to the waiting room, I saw it was dark outside.

"We missed dinner completely," I said, sniffling as more tears came to my eyes.

"Babe, no it's okay. Don't cry. It's only a little after 5. They ate already, but trust me when I say there are plenty of leftovers, and everyone will probably just eat a second helping of everything when we get there. We take breaks and eat all night. Don't be upset."

When Shanna and Emily saw us, Emily broke free from her mother's grasp and raced toward us.

"Be careful," Chris warned her before she could launch herself at me. "She can't hug you right now, sweetie. We have to go get her different clothes to wear and her arm really hurts her."

Emily's lower lip wobbled and her eyes leaked out big tears. "I'm sorry, Evie. Mommy said I should have been more careful."

"Sweetheart, it's okay. I'm just glad you're not hurt. Is your arm okay?" I asked her.

Shanna walked over to us then and took my purse and bra from Chris's arms. "It's a 2nd degree burn, but it's small. She'll have a scar, and we have to put some stuff on it. It's got a bandage over it for now." She looked at me. "Do you want me to help you get your bra back on in the bathroom at least so you don't have to hold on to that blanket for dear life?"

I sighed in relief. "Yes, please. Chris wasn't quite understanding how to get the straps back on."

We left Chris and Emily and went into one of the family bathrooms together. I lowered the blanket and held it between my legs so I didn't have to put it on the floor or anything.

Shanna carefully helped me back into the bra, and then she hugged me gently, staying away from the left side of my body completely. "Thank you," she said, and I could see she was holding back tears. "You protected Emily and didn't care about yourself and how much you'd get hurt. You protected her like I would have."

"I'm sorry she still got burned."

She shook her head. "It could have been so much worse. Thank you for protecting my baby. You don't know how much that means to me." She squeezed my right hand and then wiped her face. "Let's get home and get you some clothes and food."

I wrapped the blanket around myself again, and found I was able to hold it closed with my left arm if I was careful. I let my right hand hang out of the blanket, and I grabbed Emily's hand as we walked out to the parking lot.

***

When we got back to the house, I was shocked to see Tom there as well as Mackie and Lizzie, and a few other people from Chris's family who I haven't met yet.

Everyone exploded with questions, and Shanna and Emily stayed downstairs to tell everyone what happened so Chris and I could go up to his old childhood bedroom.

We heard a stampede of footsteps behind us, and when we got to his room, we had Max, Seb, Mackie, Lizzie, and Tom following us into the room.

Max shut the door as I sat on the edge of the now guest room bed. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I just have a bunch of stitches."

"She has 41 stitches," Chris said and everyone gasped.

I shrugged out of the blanket, trying to keep my chest covered but then realized it was pointless. I had a bra on at least and I just was out of fucks to give at this point. I dropped the blanket and showed them my arm.

"Wow," Lizzie said, and they all stepped closer to look.

"Do you have burns too?" Tom asked, his face looking worried.

"Yeah, but the only really bad one is this one," I said, pointing to a bad one on my forearm which was thankfully on a part of my arm I hadn't tattooed yet. The burn was going to scar badly. Some of the other burns and stitches were on some of my tattoos, and the doctor said I would scar, but it wouldn't look too bad once it all healed up nicely.

"She has a stitch on her head too," Chris told them, looking in the closet to see if there were any clothes. "Babe, I don't see anything here."

"Do you want me to run to your house and grab something of hers?" Seb offered.

Chris shook his head, and peeled the blue sweater over his head that he had been wearing all day. He had a white undershirt underneath it. "Nah. She can wear this. It's loose and soft and won't bother her arm."

He walked over to me and helped me get the shirt on. We were very delicate and careful with my left arm, trying not to ruin any of the bandages or hit the burns.

The sweater was big on me, and it hung off my right shoulder a little, but it was so comfortable and smelled so much like Chris. Max helped me roll up the sleeves a bit so my hands could be free.

"Dang, bud, your hand is even burnt a little," she told me, which I hadn't even noticed.

"Imagine how bad Emily would have been hurt if I hadn't blocked her," I told her and everyone else.

Everyone was quiet.

"So...did the other pan of green bean casserole get ruined? That's my favorite and I'm starving!" I didn't want to keep dwelling on what could have happened, and I really needed to eat now before I took some of my medicine to help with fighting off infection...just precautionary.

"Actually, Tom saved the day with that. We had to throw out the other pan because glass got in it, but he was on his way and was able to find an open store to buy all the stuff. As soon as he got here, Lisa went right to work making a new batch because she knew it was your favorite," Max said.

I hugged Tom as gently as possible. "Thanks," I said, smiling at him.

He smiled back and squeezed my right shoulder gently.

We all made our way downstairs, and finally we ate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Comments? I'm a praise junkie!
> 
> Also...I know that accident probably sounded crazy...but I've had glass pyrex pans explode in my house TWICE and have heard of it happening to other people too! They're an older brand and for some reason...they just explode sometimes. I've had it explode on a holiday before in my house (not Thanksgiving) and it wasn't quite as bad as what I wrote in here but it DID cut my brother's arm and burn him. He didn't need stitches. He had been standing a few feet away and the glass traveled that far. Since Evie was so close...that's why she got bit so bad. Anyways...hope you all enjoyed this one! Sorry for all the drama!
> 
> Love you guys! You're the best and really helped cheer me up the other day!


	26. Chapter 26: "I'll stay with her if you want," Tom offered.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie's arm is killing her the next day so she decides not to go Black Friday shopping with the others. Thankfully, Evie has someone keep her company for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's Tuesday! So that means another update! Hope you all are doing well. This one doesn't have drama or smut...I guess more of fluff really. Maybe a tiny bit of angst. You're going to get a good look into the mind of Evie and learn some more things about here that will give you an idea of why she is the way she is in regard to being so damn stubborn about money. Hope you enjoy!

We didn't leave Chris's parents' house until well after 11, and I was dead on my feet.

Tom, Mackie, and Lizzie came with Seb, Max, Chris and I back to Chris's. Chris was going to set up giant air mattresses for Lizzie and Mackie in his big living room, Tom would take the couch, and Max and Seb were going to stay in the guest room.

When we got back to his house, I told everyone goodnight and made my way downstairs almost immediately once I let Dodger out back for him to go do his business.

I trudged down the stairs, and took off all of my clothes before going to the bathroom. I took off my make-up, used the toilet, cleaned myself with a washcloth since I couldn't shower just yet. I would have to wait 48 hours until I could shower. Thank god for dry shampoo...

When I was done in the bathroom, Dodger was in the room waiting for me on the bed. I put a pair of underwear on, and slipped one of Chris's giant t-shirts over my head. I grabbed my water bottle that I had brought down with me and took some pain medicine so I could hopefully sleep without feeling too much pain.

By the time I settled into bed, Chris was coming down the stairs. He looked really tired too, and after he used the bathroom, he stripped down to just a pair of boxer briefs and got into bed with me. "Do you need anything?" he muttered, kissing the side of my face gently.

"Hold me?" I asked him. I rolled on to my right side, and Dodger immediately settled himself against the front of my body as Chris settled himself behind me. He was very careful of my arm, and rested his arm around my stomach.

I fell asleep within minutes.

***

The next morning, my arm was hurting like a fucking bitch. Chris helped me clean it and change some of the bandages, and then helped me get dressed in a sports bra, a tank top, and a pair of sweatpants and slippers to lounge around in for a while.

He was going to make a huge breakfast this morning for everyone, and then our plan had been to go do some shopping today, but I didn't know if I'd be up to being around crowds of dumb ass people who could hit my arm or something.

We decided to let the cuts and burns breathe a little, and only put bandages on the worst burn and the worst of the cuts.

"I'm still pissed about my flannel," I muttered as we went up the steps.

He laughed. "Evie, I will buy you a new one. It was burned and had partially melted on your skin. There was no saving it."

"Oh no they cut up your purple flannel?!" Max asked from the kitchen.

Max, Seb and Tom had beat us to making breakfast it seemed.

"Yeah. They just HAD to cut that thing right off of me."

"Okay, again," Chris said, rubbing his hand over his face. "It was literally melted to your skin and had holes in it from where the glass went right through."

"You mean they couldn't just take it off of her burned and cut up arm to try and preserve it?" Max asked him, her voice thick with sarcasm.

Chris laughed and flipped her off. "Shuddup," he said, his Boston accent thick for a second. "I was gunna make breakfast, guys. You didn't have to."

"We wanted to," Tom said, manning the egg pan. "You guys slept pretty late and we weren't sure what time you'd wake up."

"We were tired," I said. "Where's Mackie and Lizzie?"

"We had to send them to the store for more eggs and more bread. I'm making us French Toast," Seb answered.

"Do you want help with anything?" Chris asked.

Max pointed toward the counter. "Coffee, please. I couldn't get it to work."

I sat down at the island counter on a stool and watched them all move around the kitchen. Dodger scratched at the back door to go out, and I opened the door to let him out. I went to Chris's coat closet in the hallway and carefully slipped on one of his jackets before joining Dodger outside.

The air was crisp and very cold for a November morning. It was as if at any given second it would snow, but the sky was clear and sunny today. The grass did have frost on it though.

I heard the door open behind me and turned to see Tom come out with a cup of coffee for me that was made just how I liked it. He was barefoot and only had on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

"Thanks. I could have waited for it...you're going to freeze." I took the cup from him and held it awkwardly with just my right hand. I sipped it a little bit and sighed at the wonderful taste.

He crossed his arms and leaned on the railing next to me. "I'll be alright for a few minutes." He paused. "I wanted to come talk to you."

"Tom-"

"No," he cut me off. "Just let me talk, please." It was the please that got me to stop cutting him off next. "I know we've been talking, but I wanted to talk in person. I'm sorry about last week. I didn't want you to find out that way...I didn't want you to find out at all. I don't want things to change between us, so is there any way we can go on like we were before? I can set my feelings for you aside. I don't want to lose you as a friend."

"I can't pretend that you don't have feelings for me." I took another sip of coffee and looked over at him. He was starting to shake from the cold. "But I want us to keep being friends. I really enjoy talking with you, and honestly? You've really helped me on several occasions when I was in need of a good friend. I don't want to lose that."

"I know how you feel about him, and I don't want to ruin that at all. I just want you to be happy, and I want him to be happy. You make each other happy, and I promise I'll never...I'll never jeopardize what you two have. You're both very good friends to me. I don't want to lose either of you."

I put my mug down on the railing and hugged him. He hugged me back, careful not to touch my left side at all. "We're good," I told him. "Sorry I got upset last week."

He shook his head. "You have absolutely no reason to be sorry."

I pulled away from him and picked up my coffee. "Come on. Let's go inside. You're shivering."

Tom smiled softly at me, and led the way inside. I whistled for Dodger and he came barreling toward me and went in to eat his breakfast too.

Mackie and Lizzie came in just as I closed the back door.

"How are you today?" Lizzie asked, setting bags of food on the counter for Chris to start putting away.

"Mm...in pain. Once I eat I can take all my medicine and painkillers." I walked to the coat closet and put Chris's jacket away.

"Here, Evie. I started you a plate," Seb said, handing me a plate that had 2 pieces of French Toast, 4 pieces of bacon, and cheesy scrambled eggs.

"Do you guys care if I eat without you?" I asked.

Everyone told me to eat, so I did.

Soon enough, everyone else was sitting or standing around the island counter to eat their plates. When I was done, I got up so Lizzie could sit down and went to take my medicine.

"So who's going shopping today?" Mackie asked, and everyone started chiming in about what they wanted to go do.

"You guys should go have fun. I really don't think I'm up to doing any shopping in the stores today. I don't want idiots running into me and hitting my arm," I told them. "I thought of maybe borrowing Chris's computer and doing some online shopping."

"Oh, you have a point, babe," Chris said, pulling me toward him. He was sitting on a stool, but turned his body so I could lean between his knees against him and have my right arm resting on the counter. "You can use the laptop in my office for whatever you need." He kissed the right side of my head to avoid the stitch in the back of it. "I can do most of my shopping online too actually, but I do have to go out and get just a few things. Will you be okay if I leave for just a little while?"

I nodded at him. "Dodger will keep me company."

"I'll stay with her if you want," Tom offered. "I don't really have to go shopping for anything this weekend. I don't like to go out in the crowds on Black Friday."

I felt some tension go into the room for a second, but then Chris smiled at Tom and nodded and the tension immediately eased. "That'd be great. She just might need help with a bandage change."

When breakfast was done, Tom cleaned up while everyone else got ready to leave for shopping. I stayed in the kitchen to help him as best as I could, but since my arm was still killing me and I couldn't get my stitches wet yet, I was not much help.

"Evie, I got it. Go lay down on the couch. You still look exhausted," Tom told me for probably the 5th time as he stopped me from picking up more dishes.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes as a yawn escaped me. I was so exhausted from yesterday still and the painkillers also made me sleepy which didn't help matters. Maybe it was time for a nap already...

"Fine," I said with another sigh and then went off to the living room. I turned on the TV and put The Office on for some background noise. Dodger came on the couch and laid down at the end. I laid my head on his soft, warm body, pulled a blanket from the back of the couch over me, and within minutes I was asleep.

***

When I woke up again, the house was quiet. Dodger got up with me, and I grabbed my glasses from the coffee table to put back on. I hadn't remembered even taking them off. The TV was still on, but had been put on a really low volume. Was everyone still out?

"Hello?" I called out.

I heard a kitchen table chair scrape on the floor and seconds later Tom appeared in the living room.

"Hey. Feel better?"

"What time is it?" I asked, wincing at the pain in my arm.

"It's noon. Do you want something to eat so you can take some more pain meds?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Coffee too?"

"Please," I all but begged him. He knew me pretty well already.

Tom had cleaned up the whole kitchen while I slept, and it looked like he had showered, and he'd gotten dressed in a pair of jeans and a gray long sleeve shirt. He was bare foot though, which I didn't know how since my feet were freezing.

Actually, I was really cold, I realized. "Be right back." I went downstairs and put on my moccasin slippers that I had brought with me. I used the bathroom, put salve on the cuts and burns on my arm and changed my bandages. On my way back upstairs, I grabbed a thermal long sleeved shirt from one of Chris's drawers that was navy blue and had three buttons toward the top of the chest.

How did all of his clothes smell like him all of the time? It had to be his laundry detergent that I loved the smell of.

When I got back upstairs, I took my medicine from the counter and moved it to the small table on the one side of the kitchen. There was a cup of coffee already waiting for me, and I noticed a cup of tea and an iPad sitting on the table.

"You make my coffee just right," I said as I took a sip. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Turkey and cheese sandwiches okay for lunch?"

I nodded and watched him move around the kitchen like it was his own. "Have you stayed here a lot? You seem to know where everything is."

"I helped Chris move in here. And yes I stay here sometimes...usually during the holidays. When filming for Marvel, sometimes we only got a few days off for the holidays. Instead of flying back to England to my family, Chris would insist that I come up here to spend time with his family since I couldn't be with my own. It kind of became a tradition. Chris, Seb and I would spend the holidays together. When Mackie and Lizzie joined on board, it sort of became their tradition too."

"Max and I have spent a lot of holidays together too. Her family lives in Ohio which is pretty far from us. My family only lives a few hours from our apartment, but I really only see my mom, brother and niece maybe a few times a year. We're all always busy."

He set a plate down in front of me that had a sandwich and some potato chips on it. "What about your dad?"

I shrugged and took a bite of my sandwich before answering. "He left when I was very young. I don't remember him much and he's never made an effort to contact me...not that I would even want to see him now."

"That must have been rough for you."

"It was. I had to grow up fast. I was helping bus tables at a local diner when I was 13 just to help earn some extra cash toward the household bills. We had it rough."

We were quiet for a little bit until we finished our lunch. Tom cleaned up and then sat back down with me to sip on his tea while I drank my coffee.

"Is that why you gave me a hard time about the bet money with Mackie?"

I laughed. "You sound like Chris. He asked me a similar question when I told him about my family. But yeah. I don't like handouts. I am a very proud person and I don't like to ask for help. I put myself through college, and I worked very hard to get to where I am today. I've helped my mom and brother financially as much as I could...even if it meant I went without something." I took my medicine and looked down at my coffee cup. "I've um...I've never told anyone this before...but I used to write papers for college students for some extra money to help my mom when my brother got into legal trouble. I also sold my first car only months after I bought it at school so my mom's car wouldn't get repossessed. She has no idea....she thinks it broke down and was too expensive for me to fix so she thought I sold it to a mechanic. It never broke down at all. I just...she needed her car to get to work, and I could live without a car. I lived at school anyway and could take a bus everywhere."

"You've never told her any of that?"

I shook my head. "I've never told anyone that. Not even Max. She knew to some extent how bad off my mom, brother, and I were, but she never really knew how bad it actually was. And I never wanted anyone to know I wrote papers for people for money. I was always such a hard working student, and I was big on honesty and loyalty. That's not what I would call honesty. I hate that I did that. It's worse than cheating. Cheating you get caught, but having someone write a paper for you....if they do it right you won't get caught. I never got caught. But...I had to do something. I tutored too whenever I could."

"I cheated on a test once in grade school and felt so guilty about it that I turned myself in," he admitted.

"See? Honesty is important to you. Honesty is important to me too which is why I never told anyone."

"You told me," he pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

I shrugged. "I somehow get a feeling from you that I can tell you anything and you won't judge me for it at all."

"Chris wouldn't judge you for writing college papers."

"No, but...it's different."

"How?"

I bit my lip and finished my coffee. Dodger whined to go out, so I quickly got up and let him out the door. I grabbed myself a water bottle and sat back down. "For me, it's difficult telling him how hard up we were for money. I'm afraid he'll..."

"Pay all of your debts off like a knight in shining armor?"

I nodded. "See, you get it. He told me he wouldn't do that..."

Tom laughed. "But he's Chris. He'll do what he thinks is right."

I rolled my eyes. "The man is fucking literally Captain America."

"Accurate," Tom said as he went back to his iPad.

"What are you doing on there?" I asked him. I went to let Dodger back in and made sure he had enough water and gave him some treats.

"Some online shopping."

"Oh I should probably do that." I got up to get Chris's laptop from his office.

What the hell was I even going to get Chris? I surfed Amazon and Walmart deals, and couldn't think of anything.

"Ugh okay. I'm moving this into the living room so I can watch The Office and online shop with visual distractions. Do you want to join me?" I asked.

"Sure."

We moved to the living room with Dodger on our heels, and we got comfortable on the couch. Dodger laid between us and put his head on my leg.

"He's so attached to you," Tom commented.

"He's my buddy. Plus, I think he senses that I'm hurt. The whole night, Chris was behind me and holding me, but I was spooning Dodger basically because of how he laid," I told him with a laugh. "He's such a good boy...aren't you, baby?"

Dodger looked up at me and I leaned down to get a kiss from him. I kissed his snout and stroked his head a few times. "Love you, fur ball," I told him. He licked my face again and then set his head back down.

I turned on the TV, and thankfully the episode of The Office that was on was 'Stress Relief'...the one where Dwight puts the office through a fire drill and cuts off the face of the CPR dummy. It was one of my favorites!

"I've never watched this show before."

I turned to Tom with a gasp. "What?!"

He shrugged. "Sorry?"

I laughed. "Prepare to be thrown right in then," I said as I turned the volume up on the TV.

As the episode continued, Tom was dying laughing from the fire drill, and by the time the CPR dummy part happened, both of us had tears of laughter coming out of our eyes.

"This is one of my favorite episodes. I think this might be my favorite show," I told him.

"I may have to watch this from the beginning."

"Yeah okay but listen to me...just fly through the first season and ignore it. It is really cringy. Actually, you could probably just skip it and go right to season 2 and then if you rewatch the series again you can start from the beginning."

"How many times have you watched this?"

"Um...more times than I want to admit out loud."

He chuckled and we kept watching the marathon while we shopped online.

I had a really hard time finding something for Chris, but ultimately decided on getting an artist I had seen tagged on instagram a lot that does dog portraits paint one of Dodger for him to hang up. After chatting with the artist a bit, providing a great shot of Dodger, and paying the fee for it, I was told it would be ready about a week before Christmas. I paid extra to have it shipped faster and it would be done on canvas so I didn't have to get a frame for it.

I knew I couldn't just get Chris that, but figuring out what else to get him was giving me a headache.

"I need help," I said to Tom.

He glanced over at me and adjusted his glasses. "What do you need help with?"

"I don't know what else to get Chris for Christmas."

"What did you already get him?"

"I commissioned someone to paint a portrait of Dodger on canvas. He only has a few photographs of him up in here. He needs some...artsy stuff."

"Okay look, I know it's like...probably really dumb sounding, but what about a painting of him as Captain America?"

I made a face. "Really? Don't you think he's sick of that?"

"Honestly, no. That role was the best thing he's ever done. He loved it, and I know he wishes it wouldn't have ended for him."

I thought about it. "Okay let me look around."

***

Another hour later, Chris was coming back in the door with a few bags in his arms.

"Hey, guys. It took me longer than I thought. The crowds were horrendous, and I got stopped a lot even with the hat and sunglasses on," he explained. "I'll be right back!"

He went off to go hide the presents I guess, and I cleared the browser history on his laptop before shutting it down and returning it to his office.

Tom was still in the living room watching The Office, and had long since given up his online shopping quest. He'd put his iPad on the coffee table and was cuddling with Dodger on the couch. It was really the cutest thing ever, and I quickly snapped a picture.

"Did you just take a picture of me?" Tom asked with a smile.

"Yes. You and Dodger look so cute and comfy," I told him.

"Let me see," Tom said.

I handed him my phone and he grinned at me. Chris came back into the room and then Dodger jumped up and ran to him to give him some kisses. I walked over to Chris too and kissed him after Dodger was done.

Chris sat on the other end of the couch, and I sat down in the middle between him and Tom. Dodger jumped up and sprawled on my lap with his head stretching toward Chris and his feet toward Tom.

There was currently a commercial on TV so Chris asked, "What are you guys watching?"

"The Office," Tom and I both answered.

"Nice! I love this show!" Chris replied, making me smile.

I definitely loved this man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know not much going on in this one but lots of conversation!! Hope you all liked it. Please leave some comments! Love you all.


	27. Chapter 27: "If I don't get to have sex with you very soon...bad things are going to happen."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Chris take a step further in their relationship, and Evie and Max discuss the possibilities of moving to Boston. Chris and Seb got to New York early for Evie's birthday, and Chris and Evie get to have some fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, loves! I just wanted to take another moment and thank you all sincerely for your continued support! I really really love you all! This story really holds a special place in my heart. I think I'm almost finished writing it...so far I have about 49 chapters written...I'm just having a little bit of a hard time trying to figure out what direction I want to go with it. But I'm glad you're all enjoying it so far, and I'm really stupidly happy that you've stuck with me for so long on this wild ride! I have SO many other stories in the works...and we still have a ways to go with this one, but if you really love this one, I do have one other story posted. You can go to my profile and subscribe to my username so you get alerted whenever I post anything new.
> 
> Anyways...hope everyone is going well. My area is going into what they are calling the "yellow" phase which means that some more stores and other things are starting to open back up. Which makes me happy...I'm in dire need of a bookstore trip!

It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and Max and I were about to leave to go back to New York.

We'd had a great weekend at Chris's. We had went to his family's house again Friday night to eat leftovers. Saturday we went around to some local shops to support small business Saturday, and then we had a big board game night with the 7 of us and Chris's brother Scott as well. This morning we'd gotten up and had a big breakfast, but now it was past 2 pm and Max and I had to leave before we hit bad traffic. Seb was going to ride back with Lizzie, Mackie and Tom to New York City.

This sucked.

I'd said goodbye to Tom, Mackie, Lizzie, and Seb. I'd said goodbye to Dodger who was giving me the saddest eyes ever. Now it was time to say goodbye to Chris, and I was really having a hard time this week.

He pulled me to the side away from my Jeep so no one else could hear me. "Hey, we'll be seeing each other again before you know it," he said, wiping some stray tears off of my face.

"I know. I just...leaving you is getting harder." I felt more tears squeeze out of my eyes.

"Sweetheart, you're killing me here. I wish I could come with you. It's getting harder on me too."

He pulled me into his chest and kissed the top of my head. "Your birthday is next weekend...maybe I'll stay a few extra days. I don't really have anything going on right now, and then we only have a few weeks left until the holidays and we'll see each other a lot then, okay?" He wiped my eyes again.

I nodded and went on tiptoe to kiss him. "I know." I rubbed my face with my hands. Thankfully, my arm was feeling much better today. I was still being careful with the stitches and taking quick showers, but I'd be able to go to the hospital Thursday and see if the stitches could come out yet.

I sighed and hugged him tight. "I'll talk to you when we get home," I muttered against his chest. I started walking toward the Jeep, but Chris grabbed my right hand and pulled me back.

"Wait."

I looked up at him. "What?"

"I can't...I can't let you leave here without telling you."

"Telling me what?" I asked him, my heart pounding in my chest. He had a look on his face that I couldn't quite describe, but I swear he looked almost fearful.

"I love you," he told me. I knew our group of friends had heard it because they suddenly all went dead silent in whatever conversation they were having.

My blood was pounding through my ears, and I swallowed hard. "What?" I whispered.

He grasped my face with his hands, a smile now on his face. "You heard me. I love you. I love you, Evie Anderson."

I had tears streaming down my face now. "I love you too, Chris Evans."

He laughed and kissed me. "I couldn't let you leave without telling you. When I heard the loud noise from the kitchen and then Emily screaming...and I walked in and saw your arm. I just...I knew then I had to tell you. I've known for a while, but I didn't want to say anything and scare you away."

I laughed at him and wiped my eyes again. "Me too."

He leaned his forehead against mine and we smiled like a bunch of goofs at each other.

"I love you," we said in sync.

Lizzie and Tom were clapping behind us, and we turned to see Max rolling her eyes as Seb groaned and handed Mackie money.

"Called it. Knew you would say it before the weekend was over," Mackie said. "It's been all over both of your faces for weeks."

Now I rolled my eyes. "Why are you always betting on things that deal with me?"

Mackie shrugged. "Because I love you."

I took my shoe off my foot and threw it at him, whacking him in the shoulder. "You guys are idiots," I told them, laughing as Tom picked up my shoe and brought it back to me. I put my shoe back on, and Tom hugged me quickly.

"I'm happy for you," he whispered, giving me a reassuring smile before he walked back to the group.

A few minutes later, Max and I finally left for home. I let her drive since I was too excited to focus at all on driving.

We played music for a little bit, but eventually Max turned it off.

"You want to move to Boston don't you?" she asked me.

I sighed and turned to her. "I do. Is that crazy?"

"Maybe a little bit since you haven't been dating long, but I can see it working. Bud, you guys are great together. Moving to Boston makes sense. The distance can't be easy."

"Well, I don't want to like jump right in and move in with him."

"Oh...well then that's different."

"Why is that different?"

"Because you fucking bitch...it means my ass is coming with you."

"Really?!" I asked her, turning in the seat to look at her.

She glanced at me with a smile before looking back at the road. "Hell yeah, whore. We’re in this together. Plus...Seb wants to move to Boston."

"Are you guys getting serious?"

I watched her face light up with a smile. "I think so. We're a little slower than you and Chris, but I think things are getting serious. We're officially boyfriend and girlfriend now."

I laughed. "You weren't before?"

"Nah. We never slapped a label on it, but this weekend we decided it was time to."

"Wow. Big things happening this weekend."

"Yeah for real." She paused for a second. "I thought you would have caved first and said it before him."

"Me too!"

"I think you getting hurt scared him a little bit."

"It scared me too."

"It scared everyone. I thought you got hurt way worse...your arm looked terrible. I'm just glad those burns aren't as bad as it looked at first."

We were quiet for a little bit, and I was about to turn the music back on when she started talking again.

"So...when do you want to move to Boston?"

"As soon as humanly possible. I'm starting to really not like the shit my director is doing."

"Sweet. Would be great if we could get jobs after the holidays," she said. "You should come over to the dark side and join me in an academic library."

"I could. I'd love to just solely do cataloging or something."

"Let's look when we get home at what colleges are around and if they're hiring."

"You're the bestest friend ever...you know that? Not many people would just pick up and move so easily."

"You're my best friend...hell you're my sister. Where you go, I go. We would never do well living far apart for long."

"You're so right," I said.

***

For the rest of the ride, we listened to music and talked about our relationships and basically everything else. We told each other everything...even the weird shit.

When we finally got home, I called Chris for a few minutes, but then Max and I dove deep into researching Boston and everything it had to offer for a couple of librarians.

It was past midnight when we finally went to bed, but we both felt much better about our decision to actually do this.

We were going to leave New York...and hopefully it would happen sooner rather than later.

***

Work had majorly sucked all week so far. My director was mad that I couldn't work on displays because I was injured, and I was 'punished' by being made to spend the last of our ebook budget. The budget was over $20,000, and I had to spend it all and then catalog them right away so they'd be done before Christmas.

I was so mad I was seething about it all week. The purpose of having an ebook budget was to add to the collection all year...but this director thought they could cut corners and use that money for something else. However, that got turned down by the board since this was grant money that was for ebook funding only.

Oh, AND no one was allowed to come talk to me in my office or they'd get yelled at.

Max and I had worked together all week beefing up our resumes and applying at several colleges in the Boston area. I really really hoped one of them would pan out.

***

It was now Thursday which meant it was hospital day. I was somehow miraculously able to get all of my stitches out. The doctor told me everything looked really good...even the burns. The worst burn was taking longer to heal, but this doctor gave me more salve and said to put neosporin on everything else to help minimize the scarring.

I had gone to the doctor after work, and then I headed right home. When I got in the door, I was beyond shocked to see Chris and Seb there.

"Hey," I said, feeling my whole face light up.

He smiled at me and my heart stopped for a second. Seeing that gorgeous, smiling face was just what I needed after this week from hell.

I dropped everything from my arms on to the floor and went over to him. I bent and kissed him softly, sighing in relief that he was actually here. "You came early."

"I wanted to see you. Max said you've been having a rough week. Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, pulling me down to sit in his lap.

"This week has just...been a lot. When you and I talked, that was my chance to forget what was going on."

"I understand, Evie. I just want to make sure you're okay." He looked down at my arm. "Hey, you got your stitches out."

"Yep. Everything's good. Got the stitch out of my head too. Just the one bad burn I have to keep putting special stuff on, but the rest I'm just gunna keep putting neosporin on so that scarring is minimal."

"Emily's arm is better. She's got a scar but it's not too bad."

"I'm glad. I really am."

I looked over at Seb and kicked him with the heel of my foot.

"Ow," he said, pushing my foot away. "What the hell?"

"Where's Max?"

"She's on her way home from work. She had to stay late...and she is grabbing some dinner," Seb answered.

"What's she bringing home?"

"Chinese."

"My favorite!"

"Well, it's your birthday, dummy," Seb said, pinching my leg.

I kicked him again. "My birthday is Sunday, dummy," I teased him.

This started a kicking and pinching war until Chris was laughing hard enough that I had to get off his lap and stop kicking Seb. I stuck my tongue out at Seb and then headed toward my room.

Chris followed me and shut the door, shaking his head at me. "You and Seb are like..."

"Siblings that only get along sometimes?"

He laughed. "Yes."

I walked over to him and hugged him tight. "I really missed you."

"I really missed you too," he stroked my hair back and kissed my head.

"Are you staying until Sunday?"

"Monday. I really just want to spend some time with you."

I pulled away from him to go change into some comfortable clothes. I put on a pair of yoga pants, a tank top, a big sweater I stole from Chris, and a pair of slippers. "Max and I talked about Boston," I told him.

He sat on the bed and rested his elbows on his knees. "What did she say?"

"She said I'm her ride or die bitch so she's coming with me no matter what."

He laughed. "Of course she said that."

"We have been applying to places all week."

"Like where?"

"Boston University, University of Massachusetts Boston, and Northeastern University and a few other smaller places. Those 3 were really the only ones hiring for what her and I specialize in," I explained. "I'm really hoping for Northeastern. It looks like a great school."

"They're all great schools." He pulled me toward the bed by my hand. "Fuck, Evie. I love seeing you wear my clothes. I didn't even know you stole that sweater. It looks so fucking sexy on you with those yoga pants."

I gave him the best sexy look I could muster. "Well...maybe later you can take some pictures for yourself to look at when I'm not with you."

"Mmmmm..." He rubbed his hands up and down the backs of my thighs, my ass, and my hips. He looked up at me, and I ran my hands through his hair. "I love when you let me take pictures of you."

"You know you can take pictures any time you want. All you have to do is ask," I told him.

"Well, the same goes for you."

I kissed him deeply and he slid his hands up the sweater-

"DINNER'S HERE, FUCKERS!" Max yelled from the living room.

We stopped kissing and I sighed. "If I don't get to have sex with you very soon...bad things are going to happen," I told him.

He laughed really hard. "Oh, Eve. I love you so much."

I grinned at him. "I love you too."

***

Once dinner was over, I stuck true to my word and let Chris take pictures of me in the yoga pants and the sweater...anddddd then he took pictures of me in just the sweater.

We were now laying in bed and both of us were reading. Chris was on the 4th Harry Potter book already, and I was reading some information about other librarian jobs in the Boston area.

I sighed and closed my laptop before rubbing my eyes and taking my glasses off to put on the nightstand. "I can't read this stuff anymore. It's making my brain hurt."

Chris shut his book and put it on the other nightstand. "I bet I can get your brain to not hurt," he said as he crawled over to me.

I laughed. "Wow, that was smooth, Evans."

He grinned and kissed me. His hands slowly lifted the sweater up and off of me. It had been the only thing besides underwear that I had been wearing to read in bed. He pulled my underwear off and then he stared at me. "Fuck, Evie. I love your body," he muttered. "Baby, I need you bad." He quickly took off his own clothes and then came back to me with a condom in his hand.

"Chris, wait." I reached into my nightstand and got out a purple vibrator. He watched with a lot of interest as I turned it on and started pushing it into myself.

I moaned and bit my lip as I watched Chris. He was watching my hand move the toy in and out of my body, and the look in his eyes was so fucking sexy.

"Evie," he groaned, starting to stroke himself as he watched me.

"Don't use the condom," I told him, my voice breathy with excitement.

"Really?"

I nodded. "We're good to go. Been on the pill for long enough now."

He threw the condom back into the nightstand and got out the lube, spreading it over himself. I let him grab the vibrator from my hand, thinking he was going to pull it out, but I gasped when he pushed it deeper into me. He turned it up all the way and covered my mouth as I yelled out, muffling it with his hand.

Chris controlled the vibrator now, thrusting it deep into me and taking it out. I felt it press against my clit, and when I thought I would orgasm from the stimulation, he turned it off and threw it to the floor. I watched him move above me and he leaned down to kiss me, holding himself up on his forearms.

I kissed him back and reached between us, grabbing his thick cock in my hand and guiding it to my entrance. I bit his bottom lip as he thrust inside of me. The feel of him with no barriers was intoxicating, and I knew he must have felt the same because he was already moaning and starting to thrust harder and faster.

"Babe," he choked out, moving himself to kneel on the bed, lifting my hips up so my ass rested on his thighs.

"Fuck," I cursed, steadying myself by putting my feet flat on the bed on either side of his legs. "Faster," I begged him.

Chris went faster, the muscles in his arms and torso tense with exertion. He was watching where our bodies met, like he wanted to see his bare cock go inside of me over and over and over.

"Chris," I whimpered, pushing at his chest. "Please!"

I don't know how he knew what I wanted, but he flipped us over without pulling out of me, and I was suddenly on top. He was flat on the bed, and I raised up above him. I crouched with my legs open wide, my feet on the bed for stability. I put my hands on his chest to help steady myself and using every muscle in my legs, I moved myself down onto his cock.

"Oh, fuck! Evie!" he yelled, grabbing on to my lower legs with his hands. He started thrusting upward into me, and I threw my head back with a loud moan.

After a few minutes, the position was too difficult to keep up with. I stopped for a second to move my legs, putting my knees on the bed on either side of his body. He grabbed my hips and took control of pushing me down on him, and he still thrusted up into me.

The first orgasm hit me without warning, and I clawed my fingers up his chest and abs as I screamed in pleasure.

But he wasn't done with me yet.

He stopped just long enough to pull out of me, and then he was moving us again. He got out from underneath me and pushed me to all fours on the bed as my orgasm subsided. He got behind me and thrust into me hard and fast. I cried out as he hit my g-spot.

This was truly my favorite position with him. It felt so good this way. He could go as hard and fast as he wanted without hurting me, and every stroke pushed against my g-spot which was absolutely wonderful.

I used my own fingers to play with my clit, and I was suddenly orgasming a second time. I yelled into the pillows this time, and realized Chris STILL wasn't done.

"One more, baby, give me one more," he growled, continuing to thrust his hips.

I cried out, feeling so tired already, but I wanted him to feel as good as I did. I clenched my inner walls, squeezing my pussy over his cock and making him curse loudly. I kept my muscles clenched, and he thrusted even harder and faster into me.

I rubbed my clit faster, trying to keep up with his thrusts but it was impossible. "Please!" I begged him, wanting to be pushed over the edge for the last time. "Chris, PLEASE!"

He smacked my ass hard and pulled on my hair. I clenched my pussy tight and he thrust once more into me hard, curses streaming from his mouth as he came. He was pressed hard against my g-spot, and my fingers hit my clit just right at that exact moment. I screamed his name as I orgasmed for the third time, feeling fluid gush from my body.

Chris kept pumping into me until his body had nothing left to give. He went still behind me, and I let myself go limp on the bed.

We tried to regain our breathing, both of us panting hard from what we had done.

"Chris," I whimpered as he slowly started to pull out of me.

"Ah shit. We forgot to put a blanket down."

I collapsed on to the bed and laughed as I hugged a pillow against me. "I don't care," I told him, trying to move so I didn't lay in the mess.

"Evie...I hope I never have to wear a condom again. That was incredible."

"Mmmm...me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think of this one?? Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> You all know comments and praise make me happy!
> 
> <3


	28. Chapter 28: "...dry humping your girlfriend in Tom's hallway when there are people in here who want to see you and meet your new girlfriend is just fucking rude."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Evie have a talk about something that could very well change the whole dynamic of their relationship. The whole gang meet up in New York to celebrate Evie's birthday for the weekend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey beautiful people!! I know I just updated but...I'm not going to be around much this week and wouldn't be able to update on my Tuesday like normal so here's Tuesday's update a little bit early!
> 
> I hope you guys like this chapter, and I hope everyone is doing okay out there <3

The next night Chris and I were laying in my bed reading again. It had been a very long day for me. I had been so close to just giving up and quitting my job, but I couldn't do that. I had to have another job in place first.

Chris was back to reading the 4th Harry Potter book, and I was reading the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. This was one of my favorite series, but it'd been awhile since I read it so I had been slowly starting it over from the beginning and was now about half way through it. There were over 20 books.

"What's that series about?" Chris asked, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he put his book down.

"She raises zombies for a living and also is a vampire executioner...and she falls in love with a vampire. Eventually, as the series goes on, she kind of starts falling in love with more and more men. She becomes like a succubus and has to feed off of sex."

"So...it's book porn?" he asked, teasing me. He turned over on his side and peered at the pages I was reading and his eyes got wide. "Wow this is literally book porn. Is this scene a threesome?"

I laughed at the look on his face. "Yeah. Sometimes it's more." I put my bookmark in the book and put it down before taking my glasses off.

We turned out the lights, and I snuggled against him in the bed.

"Have you ever had a threesome?"

I knew he wasn't going to let the porn book thing go. "Umm...no. Have you?"

"No." He paused. "Would you ever want to?"

I turned toward him to look at him even though it was dark. I could still see his face. "Well, honestly? You know how I feel about women. The only girl I'd happily be bi for is-"

"Gal Gadot. I know that. But what about another guy?"

I was shocked. "But...you're not bi."

He laughed. "No, but I mean...if the attention was all on you."

"So you're saying you would...share me with another guy?"

"Well...not just any guy. It would have to be the right guy."

"I don't think I could share you with another girl."

"I'm not asking you to. I'm asking if you'd be open to try having another man in bed."

I was silent. I'd be lying if I said that the idea didn't excite me. But... "What man out there could you possibly be okay sharing me with that I'd be okay with? It's not like I even know a lot of guys. So that limits us to someone you know. I only know a few of your friends so far. Mackie's out of the running, and so, for that matter, is Seb. Tom's also out-"

He interrupted me. "Actually, Tom is exactly who I was thinking of."

"What?" I sat up and turned the bedside lamp by me back on, making him cover his eyes from the sudden brightness. "Tom has feelings for me...and you and him got into a huge argument-"

He sat up next to me and interrupted me. "Look, I admit that I was being stupid. I was feeling insecure with how I felt about you, and you freaked out the night before about accidentally blurting out that you loved me. I thought that meant you didn't have strong feelings for me like I did for you. I realized when I spoke with Tom after you left that I was being stupid."

"Okay, but wanting to share Tom with me isn't fair to his feelings."

"Evie, babe, I'm not blind. I know you care for Tom in your own way...in a way that's more than friends." I tried to interject, but he stopped me by putting a hand up. "No, Evie. It's okay. I know you have some feelings for him too, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that you love me."

"Where is this coming from? Have you and Tom talked about this?"

"Yeah."

"So, wait a second. Hold on. You guys talked about the possibility of..." I struggled to find the words. "Sharing me? This is way past bizarre. I want to be with you. I don't want to date him."

Chris shook his head. "I'm not talking about dating him. I'm talking about sex, Evie. Sex with him and me at the same time. I know you're physically attracted to him too. You can't tell me that isn't something you'd try."

I blushed bright red, and I'd be lying if I said the thought of it didn't make me wet. He was right...damn him. "Tom is attractive as hell...is that what you wanted me to admit to? But I don't know if I could-"

"Babe, you can't lie and tell me your nipples didn't just get hard at the thought of sleeping with us both at once because I can see it." He leaned closer to me and whispered, "I bet you're wet too, huh?"

"No," I whispered, but both of us knew I was lying.

"Oh, so...you want me to check?" He pulled me toward him so that both of us were laying down facing each other again. He slid his left hand down over the curve of my ass and around the front to go between my thighs. He moved my underwear aside and slid two fingers against my wet sex. "Evie, you are fucking drenched right now."

"Yeah," I gulped. "Okay so the thought...interests me." I was trying hard to concentrate on talking, but lost the battle when he plunged his two fingers into me.

"So you agree to at least try?" he asked, his teeth nipping at my neck as his thumb started brushing against my clit.

"Yes!" I cried out in answer to his question.

"Mmm...that's my girl."

***

It was Saturday...the day before my birthday. I was being told we were all going to the city to Tom's place for a birthday celebration weekend for me.

I didn't see what the big deal was...I was turning 31, but whatever. We packed our bags and took Chris's truck into the city.

"What are we doing today?" I asked, trying to get Chris, Max or Seb to answer me.

"It's a surprise, silly girl," Max said, ruffling my hair from where she sat in the back seat.

I rolled my eyes. "You guys are ridiculous. At least tell me who else is coming."

"We're meeting Mackie and Lizzie at Tom's as soon as we get to the city and we're gunna do stuff with them all day. Tom has a show today, but we'll see him later when we go back to his place for a party."

"Why are you guys going through this much trouble for a birthday party for me? This isn't a big deal."

Chris grabbed my hand. "Would it make you feel any better to know that this birthday party is also a combined annual Christmas party for everyone?"

"Everyone? Like as in just you guys?"

"Nope," Seb answered. "You get to meet a whole bunch of the gang tonight. Just you wait and see."

I didn't want to even think who they could be talking about, and I was too afraid to ask. I didn't want to know for now.

Chris grabbed my hand and kissed it as he drove toward the city.

"Anyone care if I put music on?" I asked, digging around my purse for my phone and aux cord.

"Ughhhhh please don't play that fucking rap and hip hop playlist. I am so fucking sick of hearing it!" Max pleaded, reaching between the seats to try to grab my phone.

"No way!" I pulled my phone out of her reach and slapped her hand away. "It's my birthday weekend, and I get to play what I want."

"It's Chris's truck! He doesn't wanna hear your shitty music either."

Chris laughed. "Actually, I love her weird playlist. I love when she sings 'Mine' by Bazzi to me."

"HA!" I yelled as Max groaned loudly and threw herself back into her seat dramatically.

I plugged my phone in and opened spotify to my favorite playlist. Post-Malone's 'Better Now' came blaring through the speakers, and I started singing it at the top of my lungs. I turned back toward Max and Seb who were rolling their eyes and I gave them the finger before turning back to the front to sing and dance in my seat.

By the time we arrived at Tom's apartment and parked in the garage, I was smiling ear to ear at how much I annoyed Max and Seb with my playlist.

"How many fucking times did you put some of those songs on that same playlist?" Seb grumbled as we got out and grabbed our bags.

"2 or 3....one of them I think even 4."

"Alright, birthday bitch, you are fucking crazy and I hope I don't hear 'Mine' one more damn time this weekend because I'm gunna strangle you," Max said as we rushed to the elevator to get out of the cold.

I rolled my eyes. "My singing cannot be THAT bad."

"They're just jealous because they don't have a couple's song like we do," Chris said, putting the key in and punching in the code that would lead us to Tom's floor.

"We do SO have a couple's song," Seb said.

"Yeah, that's right, and it's a whole lot better than fucking Bazzi," Max said.

"Oh yeah...what is it?" I asked as the elevator dinged on Tom's floor. We started walking down the hallway toward the apartment.

"Thinkin' Out Loud," Max said at the same time that Seb said, "Ho Hey."

Chris and I turned to them with raised eyebrows.

Max stopped and looked at Seb. "Ho Hey?"

Seb scowled at her. "Ed Sheeran?"

I rolled my eyes as Chris opened Tom's apartment. "You guys are lame. You can't even agree on a song."

Max pushed my shoulder. "Shut up, whore."

We set our stuff down in our regularly used rooms and when we went back out to the living room, Lizzie and Mackie were coming in.

"Hey!" I greeted, hugging them both.

"Birthday girl!" Mackie said, ruffling my hair until I pushed him away.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Hey, sweetie. Missed you. You excited for your birthday weekend?"

"I guess. Chris is telling me nothing."

Mackie raised his eyebrows and looked at Chris. "You mean you didn't tell her-"

Chris slapped his hand over Mackie's mouth. "Mackie," he growled. "Not a fucking word." Mackie bit Chris's hand and Chris yelped. "You asshole!"

Lizzie, Max and I all rolled our eyes and said, "Boys."

I looked at everyone then and realized everyone was dressed for cold weather. "Wait, do I need to change?"

Mackie and Chris stopped bickering and whispering to each other and looked at me.

"Oh um...yeah, dude. You definitely want to change," Max said before her and Lizzie led me back to my room.

Max started digging in my bag before I could stop her and my vibrator fell out. "Wow. Chris being a prude or something?"

"Or you guys getting into more kinky shit?" Lizzie asked, giggling as I snatched up the vibrator and put it in Chris's bag.

My face was bright red. "Both of you shut up," I muttered as Max threw a new outfit on the bed for me.

I quickly changed into the black leggings, dark wash jeans to go over them, black thermal shirt, blue and black flannel shirt, and long socks followed by my good men's winter construction type of boots. I bought men's because women's boots were not fit for the cold.

We went back out to the living room and everyone started getting their coats on. I put on my heavy black pea coat and also grabbed my dark maroon winter scarf, hat and gloves.

We made our way down to the lobby and a big black SUV was waiting for us. I thought we were going to have someone driving us around, but the driver got out and handed the keys to Chris.

"You rented a car for the day?" I asked.

"It was just easier to do it like this so we could all fit in one car," he replied.

We all got in and I looked to see the driver still standing on the sidewalk. "Doesn't he need a ride?"

"Nope. His ride is right behind us," he said as I saw the man get into a similar SUV that just pulled up. "He's part of our security detail for the day."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Security detail?"

"Evie, just pretend they aren't there. It's New York and it's the holidays and it can get extra crazy. It's just a precaution for all of us."

"But-"

"No buts. Buckle in. We're going to see the tree."

I gaped at him. "The tree? As in...Rockefeller Center?"

"Yeah. You told me the second day of comic con that you've never seen the tree up close. So now you're going to."

I felt some tears come to my eyes and blinked hard to make them go away as I squeezed his hand. When everyone else was buckled in, he pulled away from the curb and started following the security vehicle who was leading the way.

"How did you remember that?" I whispered to him, though I knew our friends wouldn't overhear since they were all chatting loudly about the upcoming Marvel shows and Disney+.

He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it. "I just remember being shocked that you haven't seen it and knew even then that I wanted to take you."

"I love you."

"I love you too," he said.

***

We saw the tree, we ice skated (which I had never done before so that was an experience since I'm so damn clumsy), we shopped at my favorite places, we ate my favorite foods, and when night fell, we went back to see the tree all lit up in the dark.

After the tree, we actually went separate ways. Seb, Mackie, Max and Lizzie went back to Tom's to start getting ready for the party since Tom wasn't going to get there until after 9pm. It was now 6:30, and our security detail drove Chris and I to my next birthday surprise. The rest of the gang had taken the other car, and security didn't want Chris and I to take an uber.

The security actually hadn't bothered me as much as I thought it would. They had been mostly invisible to me, only becoming visible if some paparazzi started to close in on us.

It hadn't been too bad, but I knew there would be some pictures leaked tomorrow...who knows what they'd say. I didn't care.

The car stopped and I looked outside. "Where are we?" I asked Chris.

"The empire state building."

My eyes went wide. "Let's go!"

I rushed out of the car and grabbed Chris's hand, pulling him toward the tallest building.

Somehow, my weasle of a boyfriend managed to get us up there alone (with security by us), and we went all the way up.

In the daytime it was an amazing sight. At nighttime, it was completely breathtaking. All of the lights of the city were shining brightly in the dark, and it was as if you were in the very sky looking at the stars.

"This is beautiful," I said, holding for dear life on to the railing as I leaned closer to the glass. "This is the most breathtaking thing I've ever seen."

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen too," he replied, but the tone in his voice made me turn toward him.

He wasn't looking at the lights. He was looking at me. There was something about the way he was standing there watching me that set a stampede of elephants rampaging through my stomach. I felt my face blush, and I bit my lip. I suddenly felt shy in front of him for the first time in quite awhile, and turned back toward the lights.

I felt him come closer and my heart raced in my chest. He pressed the front of himself against the back of me, and I leaned into him, letting him wrap his arms around the middle of my body. He rested his chin on top of my head, and we stared out at the city.

We were both standing at the top of the world...together.

As it should be.

***

When we got back to Tom's parking garage, the car dropped us off close to the elevator. I waited outside of the car while Chris talked to the men about something, and when he came out he was grinning.

"What are you so smiley about?" I asked him.

"I asked the one security guard to take a few pictures of us when we were looking out the top of the Empire State Building and he really came through for me," he answered, showing me his phone with a bunch of pictures.

My favorite of them all was one where I was looking out at the view, but Chris's eyes were all for me.

I smiled and gave him back his phone as we stepped into the elevator. As soon as the door shut, Chris grabbed my waist and started kissing me.

I pulled away from him, a smirk making its way onto my face as I tried to run from him. He caught me easily since we were still in the elevator, and pressed the front of his body against the back of mine. "Oh, no! Captain America is trying to attack me," I joked. I spun in his arms and poked him in the ribs.

He choked and laughed, but then looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. His hands squeezed my ass almost roughly. "You just want me to spank you, don't you?" he whispered husky into my ear.

My pulse quickened. "Don't threaten me unless you plan to follow through."

"Oh, baby, I plan to. 31 spanks for the birthday girl...maybe one for good luck."

I felt my face flush as I got wet just thinking about it.

"Aw, fuck, Evie. The look in your eyes just now...you're wet aren't you, dirty girl?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," I said, pushing away from him as the elevator opened on Tom's floor.

"Fucking hell, Evie," he said through gritted teeth as he caught up to me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me against him, letting me feel that he was hard through his jeans.

He pushed me up against the wall, and I gasped as he kissed me roughly. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, clutching at his jacket as he lifted me up, his hands grabbing my ass. I wrapped my legs around him, and even through the extra layer of pants I could feel just how hard he was.

Chris pressed me against the wall, his thighs supporting my weight as he pulled away to undo the buttons on my coat. He threw my scarf and hat to the ground and started unbuttoning the flannel shirt.

"Chris," I gasped out, shocked at the fire I saw in his eyes, the raw need in them.

I leaned toward him and kissed him again, putting all the need I felt for him into the kiss. I tugged on the strands of hair on his head, making him moan into my mouth.

Distantly, I heard a door opening but didn't register what was happening until I heard, "Oh, there they are. We thought they were late but guess not..." It was Mackie's voice.

Then I heard a feminine laugh I didn't recognize, and then a different male voice say, "Wow. You were celibate for how long before this, and don't get me wrong, I'm all for spicing up your sex life, but dry humping your girlfriend in Tom's hallway when there are people in here who want to see you and meet your new girlfriend is just fucking rude."

And that's how I met Robert Downey Jr. And Scarlett Johansson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think?
> 
> Especially of that conversation that Chris and Evie had about Tom.
> 
> Things with Tom will be escalating VERY soon.....
> 
> Please leave some comments as always!


	29. Chapter 29: "Okay. I'm in. Let's do this."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris introduces Evie to the rest of the Avengers gang, and Evie gets nervous of what his friends will think of her. Tom comes back from his play, and Chris and him have a surprise planned for Evie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So sorry for taking so long between updates! It was a busy week!
> 
> Also...I'm REALLY sorry!! This will be a bit of a cliffhanger just a tad...I didn't intend for it to happen like that but that's how I had split the chapters months ago!!!
> 
> I'M SORRY IN ADVANCE AND PLEASE DO NOT KILL ME.

I was so embarrassed that Chris and I had gotten caught like a couple of teenagers getting caught by their parents. When we got into Tom's apartment, there were some other people there too who heard the whole ordeal.

Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner were sitting with Mackie, Lizzie, Seb and Max in the living room trying not to laugh at our predicament.

"Found them," Scarlett said as her and Robert moved toward the rest of the group.

My face was bright red as everyone looked at Chris and then me. I waved shyly at them.

"Guys, this is Evie. Evie, this is Robert, Scarlett, Mark, Jeremy, and Chris," my Chris said.

Everyone waved at me.

"We've heard all about you, Evie," Hemsworth said in his wonderful accent.

"Yeah, Evans hasn't shut up about you since he met you," Jeremy said with a smirk.

Robert rolled his eyes and walked toward me and hugged me. "Ignore the children. It's been awhile since they could tease America's Ass about his love life so they're going to be pains in the asses for awhile. It's really great to meet you."

I hugged him back and looked toward Chris, my Chris, who nodded reassuringly at me.

"It's nice to meet you too," I told Robert quietly as he pulled back. My hands were sweating nervously for no good reason other than that I was a fucking nervous wreck.

These people had basically been his family since the first Avengers movie, and he'd known Scarlett a lot longer. Their opinion of me was extremely important to me, and I couldn't even imagine how important their opinion of me was to him too.

The rest of the gang was continuing to give my Chris a hard time.

"You okay?" Lizzie asked, coming up beside me. "I know they can be a lot all at once."

I nodded at her as Robert walked back to the group. "It's a little overwhelming," I told her quietly.

"Let's go to your room for a few minutes. You can change for dinner, okay?" Lizzie grabbed my hand and then Max got up to follow us.

"Be right back," Lizzie announced and led me to the room that I shared with Chris.

I felt everyone watch us go, and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding when we got into my room. "This is a lot."

"They're all really nice," Max said.

"Yeah. They just like to take the piss out of Chris because they care about him."

"Yeah, like you and me, bud," Max said. "I make fun of you all the time."

I rolled my eyes and went to my bag. I changed out of my clothes and into a pair of black leggings with a black tank top and a purple sweater dress over top. The sweater wasn't too thick, and it had more of a scoop neck that gave me a little cleavage. I didn't bother with shoes since we were staying in, but I did put on black moccasin slippers. I made sure my hair and make-up looked somewhat okay.

I folded my clothes slowly and put them back in my bag, biting my lip nervously and trying to ignore my shaky hands.

"Bud, you're stalling," Max pointed out.

Lizzie sat on the edge of the bed and patted the seat next to her. I sighed and sat down and then Max curled up on the floor in front of me with her legs crossed.

"I've never seen you this nervous. You weren't nervous when you met Mackie, Tom and me," Lizzie pointed out.

"Because it was at a party where I didn't feel like the center of attention and there was alcohol...and weed. I know all of them mean a lot to Chris, and I just want to make sure they like me. I'm just scared if I'm too quiet they won't think I'm friendly or something. And I'm not sure what they think about Chris and me."

"What do you mean?" Max asked, trying to get me to elaborate.

"I mean like....what they think of Chris dating someone like me," I muttered.

"Like you?" Lizzie asked, frowning at me.

"She means not a size 0 supermodel," Max said, figuring it out.

Lizzie scoffed and stood up. "Oh, come ON, Evie. What does that have to do with anything? You may not be a size zero, but you are you...and that's beautiful. Period. Plus, none of them are like that."

Chris came walking in the room. "Everything okay?"

I shrugged at him.

"She's nervous that they're wondering why you're dating someone who's plus sized," Max told him. I glared at her and she shrugged. "Well, it's true. You're being ridiculous. Maybe Chris can talk some sense into you. Come on, Lizzie."

Her and Lizzie left the room, leaving me with Chris.

Chris came over to me and knelt on the floor in front of me. He raised my chin up with his fingers so I would look him in the eye. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Why are you freaking out?"

"Because they mean the world to you and their opinion of me is vital?"

He laughed and eased opened my thighs so he could get closer to me. "Evie, you are being silly. They are going to love you...and what's this about them not liking you for me because you're plus sized? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

I crossed my arms under my chest. "I'm just being insecure." I paused. "What if they don't like me? What if they think I'm too quiet? I'm not good at this shit, babe."

Chris grasped my face in his hands. "I know this is overwhelming, and I'm sorry. I didn't think this many of them were going to come this year, but since tomorrow is the last day of Tom's Broadway show, they wanted to come support him and see it and sort of kill a few birds with one stone. It's our annual Christmas party, they support Tom...and they get to meet you which they have been bugging me about."

I smiled softly at him. "Really?"

He stood up and pulled me to my feet. "Yeah. They have been wanting to meet the girl who, and I quote, 'put the doofus smile permanently on my dumb face'."

I laughed and kissed him. "Your face isn't dumb."

He kissed me back. "Thanks, Evie."

"But you do have a doofus smile." He pouted at me. "But I love your doofus smile."

"Damn straight," he said, kissing me softly again. "Ready to go out there? Tom just got here."

I nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

When we went back out, everyone was sitting at a table and food was being brought out by Seb, Mackie and Tom. Chris went to help them and I sat down between two empty seats.

When all of the food was out, Chris sat to my right and Tom sat to my left.

Tom hugged me and squeezed my shoulder. He was dressed in gray slacks and a black long sleeve henley that had 3 buttons on the chest that were undone, showing his white undershirt beneath it. His hair was tousled and messy, his soft curls falling into his face. He'd let his hair grow long for this part, and he'd kept a short beard for it too. His blue eyes softened when they met mine. "Hey, birthday girl. Have a good day?"

Chris was right...I did have this weird attraction to Tom that went deeper than just thinking he was hot. Damn it.

I smiled at him. "Chris took me to see the tree...twice."

"Why twice?" Scarlett asked.

I looked over at her. "Once during the day and then we went back at night so I could see it lit up in the dark."

"We went ice skating too," Seb told them. "Chris had to teach Evie how to skate, and he fell on his ass 5 times trying to stop her from falling."

Chris H. and Jeremy laughed. "I'd pay to see that," Chris H. said.

"I got it on video," Mackie assured them and pulled out his phone to show them.

Robert rolled his eyes at them all. "Again...children. You guys wouldn't do the same thing for your wives or girlfriends? You're dumb."

"Thank you, Robert," my Chris said, sticking his tongue out at the rest of his friends.

"Lizzie said Chris was taking you to the top of the Empire State Building at night too," Scarlett said. "I bet that was romantic."

I smiled at the memory and looked over at Chris who was looking at me with one of his thousand watt smiles. "Yeah. It was," I said, feeling my smile get wider. "This has been the best birthday I've had...I think ever."

"Excuse the fuck out of me," Max said, kicking me under the table. "What about your 20th birthday when I took you to see your favorite band in concert?"

"What band?" Lizzie asked.

"Back then she was obsessed with Avenged Sevenfold. I took her to see them at the House of Blues in Atlantic City," Max replied.

"Avenged Sevenfold?" Jeremy asked. "Nice! They were great. Don't like any of their new stuff."

"Me neither," I said and then looked back at Max. "Okay fine that was a great birthday too."

She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me. "Too late. I'm really wounded and upset. But I get it...and I don't blame you. Chris has got a big dick to make you happy and I don't."

Several people choked on their drinks and started laughing hysterically as Chris's face turned bright red.

"I like this one," Chris H. said, nodding toward Max and hitting Mark's back to help stop his choking.

We continued talking and they got to know Max and I better. They all exchanged their Christmas presents too. When we were done eating the food, Tom got up and went back to the kitchen with Chris.

They came back a minute later and Mackie dimmed the lights as everyone started to sing happy birthday.

Tom and Chris set a Harry Potter birthday cake in front of me. It was the shape of a house crest and it had the badger of Hufflepuff and the Hufflepuff colors all over it and it was beautiful.

When they were done singing, I looked around the room and then smiled as I made my wish and blew out my candles.

***

Mackie and Lizzie gave me a $100 gift certificate to Hot Topic. Seb and Max gave me the Scots editions of all of the Harry Potter books. Robert took my phone from me and linked it with his. When I got it back, I had a video waiting for me to watch.

I opened it, hit play, and was shocked to see Sam Heughan standing there. "Sassenach! I hear it's your birthday, and I also hear you love Harry Potter and that someone was going to give you the Scots editions of them. Well, please allow me to read you the very first chapter in Scots. Have a very happy birthday, Sassenach! I hope this doesn't make your boyfriend too jealous." I gaped at everyone in the room as Sam started to read the first chapter. I stopped the video, pledging to watch it later when I could really pay attention.

"But how...what?" I was in shock! How had they done this?

"A little birdie told us you loved Harry Potter and we knew about Seb and Max's gift...we also knew you loved Outlander and this very handsome red head. I put two and two together and contacted him, and voila," Robert explained like it was nothing. "When you're famous you have ways of getting in touch with other actors."

I hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you! I really will cherish that video forever."

"It's from all of us. Turns out he's an Avengers fan so...he did the video for you and we group skyped him on the way here to talk," Robert said.

I laughed and thanked everyone else. "You guys are the best."

"Anything for the woman who makes our friend happy," Scarlett said, hugging me to her. "You don't know how glad I am that he found you."

I blushed. "I'm pretty lucky too," I said, smiling over at Chris who was watching me interact with his friends.

Since it was almost midnight by now, everyone started cleaning up. Robert, Scarlett, Chris H., Mark and Jeremy left shortly after to go to their hotel. Tom had tried to get them to stay, but since he didn't have enough rooms for everyone, they said they'd be fine and would see him at his show tomorrow and we would all go get dinner afterward.

The rest of us locked up for the night and headed to our rooms.

I sighed as Chris and I went to our room and I threw myself on the bed. "This was the perfect birthday."

He chuckled at me. "You still have another day to celebrate. Your actual birthday is tomorrow, silly."

"Mmm... So...what's my present?" I asked.

"Oh, so you think you're going to get a present after I took you out all day and you're going to get to see Tom's show again tomorrow?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "There's got to be another present," I pouted at him.

He laughed. "I do have something else for you," he said.

"What is it?"

"Calm down. I've gotta wait for it to get here."

"Wait for it to get here? Did you order it through an Amazon drone service?"

He laughed hard. "No. Just be patient. You'll-"

There was a knock at our door, and I raised my eyebrow at him. He went to open it, and I watched Tom walk into the room with a bottle of coke, a bottle of vanilla flavored vodka, and 3 glasses stacked in his hands.

Chris shut and locked the door, and I stared at them both in confusion. "Hey, Tom. What's up?"

"Chris and I have a gift for you from both of us," he said as he put everything on the dresser and started making drinks.

Chris walked over and sat on the bed next to me. I turned to him and frowned a little. "What's going on?" I whispered, though I knew Tom could hear me since we were in such close quarters.

"Do you remember what we talked about?"

I frowned harder for a second before it dawned on me what he meant. My heart thundered in my chest. "You mean...right now?"

Chris shrugged. "Why not? You're the birthday girl."

I bit my lip and looked over at Tom who was purposely taking a long time to make the drinks. Again, I knew he heard us. I could tell by how stiff his back was.

Chris grabbed my hand, making me look back at him. "Hey, we don't have to do this right now if you don't want to....we don't have to ever do this if you don't want to."

I closed my eyes for a minute and took a few deep breaths. Could I do this? Sure, in my wildest dreams this is something I've always wanted to do...with two men. But with Chris AND Tom?

I love Chris. I trusted him 100%.

I trusted Tom too...I had told him things I'd never told Chris for fear of what he would say. Tom had all of my trust too, and there was a part of me that did want him.

Could I do this? I looked over at Tom again and he had stopped pouring our drinks, waiting for me to answer. It was like getting to the top of the roller coaster and the whole world stops for a second while you sit frozen and un-moving.

I took a few more deep breaths, and felt the push over the top that I needed. "Tom?"

He turned toward me, his eyes full of the same unsure feeling I was having. "Yeah?"

"Put more vodka in mine. I definitely need a strong drink first." I looked back at Chris. "Okay. I'm in. Let's do this."

And just like that, all the tension in the room faded away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well....what did you think? I feel like when I wrote this one I had a hard time writing it...too many famous people to try and get their personalities to how I thought they would really be? I'm not sure...
> 
> ANYWAY...comments? PLEASEEEEE??
> 
> I'm sorry for the cliffhanger BUTTTTTTT...
> 
> Maybeeeeeeeeee I'll update again this weekend so you're all not left hanging until Tuesday...


	30. Chapter 30: "Just say the word and I will turn and go out this door and we can pretend this never happened."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie, Chris, and Tom have a discussion about ground rules and boundaries before they decide if they're going to continue...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S HERE!
> 
> The moment we have ALL been waiting for is FINALLY here!!!
> 
> I told you guys I wouldn't leave you hanging for long...
> 
> I really REALLY hope you all enjoy this!

Tom handed me my drink, and I tried not to show that my hands were shaking as I took it but failed. He saw right through me.

"We don't have to do this," Tom said as he handed Chris his drink. "Just say the word and I will turn and go out this door and we can pretend this never happened."

Chris looked at me, waiting to see my reaction.

I sucked in a deep breath and took a big gulp of my drink. It tasted very much like vanilla coke, which I loved the best out of all the sodas out there. I took another big gulp and then stopped as my eyes teared up from the strong alcohol.

"I want to do this," I told them both. "But we need ground rules."

"Agreed," said Chris.

"I also agree, but first I want you to know that I've recently been tested and am clean. I haven't been with anyone since I was last tested," Tom said.

"Same for us. We got tested right after we started dating and we have only been with each other since," Chris told him before taking a few chugs of his own drink. I was laying on my side of the bed propped up on my side, my glass securely in my hands as I watched them both.

"I'm also on the pill and have been on it long enough that Chris and I don't have to use condoms." I sat up and held up a finger for them to hold on a sec. I was already feeling beyond warm with the sweater, and the alcohol was not helping matters. I stood up and ripped the sweater off, leaving me in just leggings and a tank top. I turned the ceiling fan on in the room and put it on medium speed before sitting back on the bed and grabbing my drink again. "This tastes just like vanilla coke, by the way. I love it."

Tom smiled at me. "I thought you might enjoy it."

"That is her favorite soda," Chris said, grinning at both Tom and me as he took another sip of his drink.

My own drink was already halfway gone, and I already was starting to feel the effects a little bit. I had always been a lightweight so I knew I would only have this one. The most important thing was that with the alcohol, some of my nerves were starting to ease back.

"We need a safe word," Chris said, "in case any of us feel too uncomfortable to continue. I think that's really important, especially for you, Evie."

Tom nodded in agreement. I agreed too and struggled to think of a safe word that we could use that we wouldn't say during sex otherwise.

"Okay how about we go with a yellow/red system? Red means absolutely stop. Yellow means not necessarily stop, but maybe just be cautious and um ease up or something?" I suggested.

"Easy enough to remember," Tom agreed. "And for your sake, you should also come up with something for you to signal to us that it's too much for you if you can't talk at the time."

I was about to ask why on earth I wouldn't be able to talk, but then an image of me sucking Tom's cock while Chris fucked me from behind filled me so vividly that I actually felt my pussy clench with need.

"Did you see that reaction?" Chris asked Tom. "Her nipples just got so hard you can see it through the bra."

"Oh yes. I saw it," Tom said, his voice smooth and sexy as all fuck.

My face blushed beet red. I took another long swig of my drink and looked at them both. They were staring at me with so much want plain on their faces that it made me put my drink down and crawl toward them.

They quickly put their drinks down too, and I licked my dry lips as I stared from Tom to Chris and back.

"Whoever is closest, I will tap three times if I can't talk. If my hands are bound, I'll make a fist 3 times in a row very quickly," I whispered to them in a low voice.

I leaned toward Tom, going in for a kiss, but he stopped me.

"Wait," he said.

I sat back on my calves and stared at him.

Chris sat up straighter. "Still some boundaries we have to discuss."

"Okay," I whispered.

"This is just an in the bedroom thing, or when it's just the three of us together here or at my house," Chris said. "I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea if they see you two kiss or something in public. That would hit the media shit storm and would not be good for any of us. What you two do here is okay with me. I promise it is. Just please respect my wishes and don't do anything by yourselves without my knowledge."

I looked at him and grasped his face gently in my hands. "I would never do that to you," I whispered.

"I respect those wishes," Tom said. "I also hope you respect mine when I ask you both not to tell anyone about this. This stays between us. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Chris and I said in sync.

"What are your...sexual boundaries?" Tom asked me then.

"As far as...?" 

Tom bit his lip as he thought for a moment.

"He means what are you completely against in the bedroom," Chris elaborated. "Like you don't want to be blindfolded."

"Yeah...stuff like that. I should know that beforehand," Tom said as he grabbed my hand in his. His skin felt smooth, and I looked into his blue eyes and wanted to drown in them.

"No blindfolds. I don't like being tied up either really...at least not to the bed. I don't mind my hands being tied together or restrained. Just don't tie me to anything so that I can't move."

Tom smoothed his hand up my arm to my shoulder. "Anal?"

I swallowed hard, feeling goosebumps rise on my skin. "Not completely against it anymore, but we've never done it."

"She would need some work first," Chris said, starting to slide his hand up the other side of my body.

"If you guys are into butt stuff for yourselves...fine, but eating out your asshole is a hard limit."

They both cringed a little and shook their heads.

"I'm good," Tom said.

"Same," Chris agreed.

Good. No butt stuff for them. Thank god.

"Biting? Hair pulling? Spanking? Scratching?" Tom asked.

My pulse was racing as they both started sliding my tank top up my body. "A-all fine and welcome. I don't mind some pain, but just don't go overboard. I'll use the safe words if necessary."

My shirt was now over my head and Chris was undoing my bra in back. Tom cupped my breasts with his hands, rubbing the thin lacy fabric over my nipples, making me gasp.

His long fingers pulled the bra off and threw it to the floor over Chris's head. "If you mark me, please don't mark my neck...at least not tonight before a show," Tom told me, his hands now cupping the bare flesh of my breasts.

Chris knelt behind me on the bed and kissed my bare shoulders and side of my neck, his beard stimulating me and giving me more goosebumps. "Anything else?" Chris asked, staring at Tom from behind me. Tom shook his head. "Kiss her," he told Tom.

And Tom did. His lips met mine and he kept his hands at my breasts, his fingers tugging at my hardened nipples.

I moaned into his mouth and pressed myself closer to him. Chris followed, pressing the front of him against my back and allowing me to feel that he was hard. I was pressed even closer to Tom now and felt that he was hard too.

I pulled away from him, gasping for breath. "I'm not capable of being quiet. The others are going to hear us," I told them, dizzy with pleasure as they both leaned in to kiss opposite sides of my neck.

Tom moaned against my neck as the front of my body brushed against his hard cock. "The others went out to a club. They weren't tired," he informed me.

Tom went to kiss me again, but I pushed my hands against his chest. "The two of you are wearing way too many clothes right now," I said breathlessly.

Tom and Chris looked at each other for a second before both of them moved off the bed. I sat back and watched them both undress. My heart was pounding in my chest as they both took off their shirts, slid off their shoes and socks and then started undoing their pants in sync.

I watched as Chris pushed his pants and boxer briefs down at once, and then I turned toward Tom to see him push his pants down. He was left with just boxer briefs now, and I gazed at the rest of his body, noting how different him and Chris were. Tom had muscles but was slender while Chris was much more built and just a little shorter than Tom. I swallowed hard as Tom pushed his underwear down, my eyes narrowing in on the center of him.

His hips were thin and narrow. His cock wasn't as big as Chris's, but was still longer than the other men I'd slept with before. His was just a little thicker than Chris's, but what fascinated me the most was the fact that he was uncircumcised.

Most men in the U.S. were circumcised, but that wasn't the case in the U.K. I had known that, but had never seen someone uncircumcised before and it fascinated me.

I got off the bed and kicked off my slippers and socks before pushing my leggings and panties down to the floor. I stepped out of them and blushed as Tom looked at me from head to toe. I watched his eyes glaze over with lust as he stared between my thighs.

"Fuck," he cursed. "You're beautiful, Evie. I love when girls don't shave everything off down there."

"Me too," Chris said.

I blushed harder. I had always kept myself very well groomed, but never shaved completely bare because I hated how it felt. I had had guys comment negatively about it so I had been happy that Chris didn't mind it. Now here was another man standing in front of me who didn't care either.

Someone please pinch me.

Chris went to the closet and made sure there were spare sheets and a spare duvet cover for the bed.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked him.

Chris grinned and rubbed a hand over his face. "We'll need it later."

I blushed again and turned away from them, closing my eyes for a second and wrapping my arms around the middle of my body. I took a few deep breaths and then opened my eyes again. I grabbed my abandoned drink from the nightstand and chugged the last of it. There had only been about a quarter of the cup left, but I needed the liquid courage right now.

"Evie," Tom muttered from behind me seconds before he touched my back gently. "We can stop. If you feel like you can't-"

I turned toward him and looked up into his eyes. "I can do this." I paused for a second and took another deep breath. "I WANT to do this. I'm just....stupidly and ridiculously nervous."

Chris walked over and grabbed my hand. "Baby, how about you and I just start and when you're feeling more comfortable Tom can join us, okay?"

"Okay," I said, letting Chris pull me to the bed. I tried to turn to look at Tom but Chris stopped me.

"Just focus on me for right now," Chris whispered before kissing me deeply.

We laid down and continued to kiss and make out for a little bit. In my head, I knew Tom was still in the room, but focusing my attention elsewhere for the time being was helping loads.

Chris pushed me to my back and hovered over me before he leaned down and took one of my nipples in his mouth, sucking hard on it.

I gasped and arched my body into him, my hands reaching up to tug at his hair. His lips moved to my other breast as his hand roamed further down my body.

Chris gently pried open my legs and he stroked the inside of my thighs and sex before he plunged two fingers into me.

I moaned and threw my head back, my body responding to his every touch.

"Aw fuck, Evie. You're so wet already, baby. You're so ready," he murmured against my breasts.

"Chris, please," I whimpered and he responded by rubbing my clit in small fast circles. I cried out in pleasure.

"Tom's going to join us now, baby girl," Chris whispered into my ear.

I felt the bed dip and moved my head to see Tom getting on the bed by my feet. I watched as he laid on my other side and then he kissed me again.

His hands roamed my body, his fingers tugging at the nipple that wasn't in Chris's mouth. Tom pulled away from the kiss to latch onto my breast. He sucked my nipple into his mouth and flicked his tongue over the hardened point over and over and over, making me yell out into the room. He continued kissing down my body and Chris pulled his hand away from my drenched pussy as Tom moved between my legs.

His long fingers entered me and I felt his tongue against my clit, making me almost scream in pleasure except that Chris chose that moment to kiss me and drown the scream in his mouth.

My body was on fire. Both men were touching me in completely different ways, and I so very badly wanted even more.

Tom removed his fingers from me and he grasped my thighs, opening me wider to him so he could eat me out better.

I was just about to orgasm when he suddenly eased back and pulled away from me.

"Easy now, darling, let's save that for later," Tom said, making me honestly want to cum on the spot. His voice was so super fucking sexy and low already, but right now it somehow got even lower. Good god...

I tried to catch my breath for a second while the two of them moved around on the bed.

"Who do you want to fuck you first?" Chris asked, tenderly tucking some stray hair behind my ears after he took my glasses off and put them on the nightstand.

"You," I told him. "I want to suck his dick before he fucks me."

Tom laughed at my abruptness. "Okay, beautiful. Whatever you want. It's your birthday."

I made Tom sit sort of propped up against the headboard with his legs stretched out straight. I eased them open and crawled toward him. 

His cock was hard and jutting up from his body. I stroked him with one hand, the other one leaning on his thigh for support. The difference in texture of his cock was fascinating, and I kept stroking him while I heard Chris go through our bags on the floor.

Chris must have found what he wanted because I felt the bed move and knew he was kneeling behind me.

"Hey, care if my legs touch yours?" Chris asked Tom. "Kinda hard not to since you're so tall."

"It's fine," Tom choked out, his hands balling in the sheets beneath him as I lowered my mouth to his cock.

Chris spread my legs and thrust into me without much warning, making me pull off of Tom to cry out and look back at him.

"Chris," I whimpered. He smoothed a hand over my back and gently pushed me back down toward Tom's lap.

"Shh, baby, I'm not gunna hurt you. You're ready. You're so fucking wet you're dripping down your legs," Chris said, starting to slowly thrust in and out of me.

He was right. My body was more than ready for him. I closed my eyes for a moment, cherishing the feeling of his big cock filling me completely.

Tom grabbed my hair in one of his hands and redirected me back to his throbbing cock. I took him back in my mouth and started bobbing my head up and down, using my hand as an extension.

I loved the taste of Tom in my mouth, and I rolled my tongue around the extra skin, making him moan loudly.

"God...Evie," he groaned out.

Chris was cursing behind me as he picked up the pace, fucking me almost ruthlessly.

I had to back off of Tom again to yell loudly into the room, but as soon as I was done, Tom was shoving his cock back into my mouth. I took him as deep into my throat as I dared, sucking hard and making him curse loudly.

Tom pulled my hair hard, pulling me off of him as he breathed heavily. "Fucking hell, Evie. I don't want to finish in your mouth."

I was about to say something when Chris pulled my legs back to angle my body downward. I wasn't quite flat on the bed, but I was leaning on Tom's legs with my cheek resting on his thigh. Chris gripped my hips and angled his hips down toward me. Now every thrust of his hips was shallower and hitting my g-spot constantly.

I cried out and dug my nails into Tom's thighs.

"Watch this," Chris told Tom and then he reached around the front of me and started rubbing my clit in fast circles.

It was too much. The pleasure was so insanely good, like my whole body was on fire with lust.

"Baby, come on. I'm right here with you," Chris panted out, his body thrusting faster and faster until he yelled out and he came.

He kept rubbing my clit and his other hand left my hips to smack my ass hard, harder than he ever had before, but it was just what I needed.

It felt like my body exploded as I orgasmed. Wave after wave of the most intense pleasure I have ever felt kept hitting me over and over.

"Fuck!" Chris yelled.

"Did she just...? Oh, fuck," Tom groaned.

Chris was still rubbing my clit, and I was still crying out as he drew out the orgasm.

"Chris!" I choked out. "Red! Red!"

He pulled completely away from my and I collapsed on the bed. He pulled me out of Tom's lap and turned me onto my back. "Babe, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

I blinked up into his face and actually laughed a little. "I'm okay."

Tom hovered near me on the other side and stroked my sweaty hair back from my face. "Why'd you safe word then?"

I looked from Tom to Chris and saw the terrified look on Chris's face. "I'm sorry, Chris. I promise you didn't hurt me. I just....you kept rubbing my clit long after the orgasm should have ended and I didn't want to basically black out like that other time. Remember?"

Tom raised an eyebrow. "You made her black out before?"

Chris blushed. "Almost." He looked down at me and kissed my lips gently. "I'm sorry, Evie. I went a little too much out of control." He rubbed his hand across my forehead, wiping the sweat away.

"It's okay. That was amazing," I told him, feeling a big smile cross my face.

"Well, that was....wow. And I was only watching," Tom said. "But I don't think you're going to be up for another round after that."

Chris laughed. "Give her about 5 or 10 minutes. Usually, I can last longer and get her to orgasm a few times before I go."

Tom raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Really?"

"Yep. But now you see why I said we'd need new sheets."

I closed my eyes and let them talk about me. I didn't care...I was still trying to recover from Chris.

They went quiet for a moment, and then a minute later I felt someone cleaning me up with a washcloth. I opened my eyes to see Chris at the end of the bed cleaning me with a cloth and Tom was sitting next to me with a water bottle.

When Chris pulled back, I sat up and took the water from Tom and drank from it. I put the water down and stood up using Chris's shoulders to steady myself.

He kissed my collarbones gently and hugged me to him. "I'm sorry," he muttered against my skin.

"For what?" I asked, tipping his chin up so he'd look up at me.

Chris's eyes were hesitant. "I smacked you too hard...you have a nice imprint of my hand on your ass," he muttered, smoothing his hand over my butt. I winced at the stinging sensation, but shook my head at him.

"Chris, it's okay. It's not bad." I kissed his lips gently. "But you did promise me 31 spanks, and I only got one...you owe me," I pouted at him.

He grinned at me and smoothed his hand over the cheek he hadn't smacked. "I'm sure Tom wouldn't mind helping out."

"No, I wouldn't," Tom said, making me look at him. The look in his eyes was enough. The look promised sex and so much more, and there was something very predatory in the look that had my pussy clench. I bit my lip and looked away from him and back to Chris.

"I saw that," Chris said, grazing his hand over the front of my sex.

I smirked at Chris. "You know me so well."

Chris laughed. "I do. Now go to the bathroom like you've been wanting to do since you stood up. He'll be here when you get back."

I gave Chris a long, deep kiss and walked away to go to the bathroom.

I couldn't believe that after an orgasm that long and intense that I was ready for more, but here we were. I couldn't deny what those looks from Tom did to me, how his words tugged at things low in my body. I wanted him so badly.

I took a few minutes in the bathroom to really clean myself up (as well as using the bathroom) before I went back out.

Chris and Tom were talking quietly on the bed. I had never met men who were comfortable being naked around each other, but these two just didn't care. Or if they cared they certainly were good at hiding it. The sight of them both sitting there naked like a hot man buffet was something I hoped I would remember forever.

I crossed the room and interrupted their talking to kiss Chris hard and passionately for a minute before pulling him back by his hair.

He looked dazed. "What was that for?"

"A thank you for my birthday gift."

Chris laughed and pulled me onto the bed to sit between them. "Well, I mean you have to thank Tom too. It was a collaborative idea."

I patted Chris's muscular thigh and pushed myself up to my knees to look at Tom. I straddled his legs and sat back on his thighs. "That true?"

Tom leaned forward and nuzzled my throat with his beard and kissed my skin, making me gasp at the sensation. "We both masterminded it, yeah."

I looked over at Chris then, making sure this was still all okay with him. It was one thing to watch your girlfriend suck another guy's dick while you fucked her, but it was another thing entirely to watch your girlfriend fuck another guy.

Chris nodded at me. "This is still okay, babe. Go ahead."

I looked back to Tom and stared into his blue eyes that were staring straight into my very soul. I took a deep breath and leaned forward to kiss his soft lips.

Tom ran his hands over my ass and up my back and brought them around to cup my breasts. He pulled and tugged at my nipples like he knew how I would react to it. I writhed on top of him, moving closer to him to slide myself over his hard cock.

He stopped kissing me to try and flip me beneath him, but I grabbed onto the top of the headboard.

"No. I'm on top," I told him.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Wow, Chris, you didn't say she was bossy," he teased.

Chris chuckled. "She just knows what she wants."

"And it's my birthday so you have to do what I say," I told him.

Tom smirked. "Okay, birthday girl. Go ahead."

I tipped my head at him. "Thank you." I balanced myself with my left hand on his shoulder and used my right hand to grab his cock and tease my slit with it before guiding him inside of me. I slowly slid down and threw my head back in a moan.

Tom grasped my hips and stilled me so he could move further down the bed. He laid flat on the bed beneath me now, and I put my hands on his stomach for leverage as I pulled off of him and then slid back down slowly.

He moaned beneath me, and his hands on my hips urged me to move faster.

I cried out when he suddenly smacked my ass, making me look down at him.

"29 more," Tom gasped out, and I tried to laugh but it turned into a moan as he started raising his hips up to meet mine.

I started thrusting down on him faster, and felt Chris kneel behind me on the bed. He was so close to me that I knew his knees had to be on either side of Tom's legs, not quite straddling him since he was raised up on his knees but close enough.

Chris bit the skin of my shoulder hard enough to leave a mark. "I'm gunna try something," Chris said, and I felt the tip of something cold and wet at the entrance to my ass. I realized as he turned it on that he was using my thin vibrator and had put some lube on it. The vibrator was a little thicker than his finger, but I relaxed and he was able to push past the tight ring of muscles just fine.

I swallowed hard. "Fuck!" I started thrusting down on Tom faster, feeling the vibrator Chris shoved into me move in time with my thrusts. I leaned my hands on Tom's stomach again and leaned my body forward to give Chris better access to my ass.

Tom and Chris both smacked my ass at the same time, Chris hitting the same side as he had earlier but not as hard. It still stung a little, but at the moment it was so good I barely noticed it. I cried out as they counted down the rest of my smacks, my body involuntarily moving faster as I got more turned on.

The last smack came from Tom, and I almost shrieked as he slapped my clit instead of my ass. It was sharp and it stung, but on the edge of that pain was pure pleasure, making me moan loud.

"Oh, fuck!" I yelled as Tom started rubbing my clit hard and fast.

"Fucking hell, Evie," he growled. "You're so fucking sexy above me like this."

Chris moaned in agreement behind me, and I was shocked to feel him somehow hard yet again as he pressed himself against my back. He was shoving the vibrator faster and faster to match my thrusts, and I knew I was almost there, like standing at the edge of a cliff and just waiting to be pushed over.

Tom stroked my face, making me meet his eyes. Chris kept thrusting the vibrator into me, turning it up and making me throw my head back against his chest. I watched as Tom stroked my clit, and Chris shoved the vibrator into me hard.

I arched my back and screamed, my hands going to my own breasts to tug hard on my nipples. I went falling headfirst over the cliff and into an orgasm so intense that I swear I saw stars. I have never felt anything like this before, and I heard myself basically sobbing from the intensity of the pleasure as Tom cursed and spilled inside of me.

I felt a gush of fluid leave me, and felt Chris spill his seed on my back.

Chris took the vibrator out and turned it off so he could collapse on the bed.

I fell against Tom's chest, completely boneless like I was a puddle of liquid.

Tom pulled his cock out of me, and I whimpered and rolled off him onto the bed.

I curled myself in the fetal position and felt my vision go in and out for a few seconds.

"Shit," Chris said, getting off the bed quickly to get water and a washcloth for me. He came back quickly and put a damp washcloth against my forehead and face. "Evie, babe you okay?"

I nodded. "Need water."

Chris propped me up against his chest and made me drink half the water bottle before he was convinced I was okay.

I wiped my eyes and rubbed my face, seeing both of them stare at me intently. I let out a shaky breath. "I'm okay..." That didn't sound convincing at all. "I'll be okay. I just need to shower and go to sleep. That took everything out of me."

Tom looked down at himself. "I think we all need a shower and to sleep." He got up and I thought he was going to leave so I grabbed his hand, making me look at him.

"Please don't go." I paused and looked into his eyes. "Stay."

He was hesitant as he looked over to Chris. I was hesitant too.

Chris smiled and shrugged. "Fine with me. But I'm not letting her shower alone."

"Agreed," Tom said.

Chris picked me up in his arms and gently carried me to the bathroom and set me in the shower once Tom had the water warmed up. Tom took over helping me while Chris quickly went out and changed all the bedding.

I must have fallen asleep or nodded off because I barely remember showering with them both, but when I became aware of my surroundings again, the three of us were in the bed with me in the middle.

Chris kissed me before he spooned my body, and Tom laid on his side facing me.

"Love you," Chris whispered into my ear.

I snuggled into his warm body. "Love you too."

Tom got as close to me as he could without touching Chris, and he kissed my forehead softly. "Happy birthday, beautiful."

I smiled at him and stroked his wet curls. "Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay be brutally honest with me, peeps....how did I do with this? It's been a VERY long time since I've written a threesome scene, and I was really really unsure of myself with this one.
> 
> Was it okay?
> 
> Please...seriously be honest. Comment and let me know! <3


	31. Chapter 31: "Oh, darling, you're insatiable."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang celebrates Evie's birthday...again...sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The summary sucks...sorry. I'm in a weird place mentally today. I honestly don't even like this chapter but... *shrugs and sighs so loud you can hear it from wherever you are in the world* here it is. It's not anything spectacular. I promise things pick back up again soon.

The next day, we woke to the sun shining brightly in the sky.

I was tired in a way that I had never felt tired before, like every muscle in my body had gotten a work out.

We had fallen asleep late, but I had woken up twice more with a hunger for both men that I wasn't sure I could describe. The first time, it had been Chris who made love to me, slow and gentle. The second time, Tom was the lucky one, but there had been nothing gentle about how he fucked me.

My body was sore in the most delightful way, but I knew we had overslept when I heard the voices of our friends going down the hallway toward the living room talking about a late breakfast.

I froze in my spot on the bed, and Chris and Tom woke up right then.

Tom burst out of bed, cursing under his breath. "Fucking hell." He rubbed his eyes and looked at my phone for the time. "Shit! It's almost 11. I've got to be there in half an hour." He looked back at the bed at Chris and I and smiled almost shyly. "I'm going to use your shower again quick." And then he went into the bathroom.

I looked at Chris and laid back down, rubbing my tired eyes. "Will you please hand me my glasses?"

"Here. And happy birthday, baby," Chris said, handing them to me so I could put them on my face.

"Thanks, babe." I paused. "His show is at 2?" Chris nodded. "Are we meeting up with everyone else before?"

"We just have to get there at 1:30. We got box seats since there will be so many of us. And afterward, we're all going out with the whole cast and crew. They rented out a restaurant for a party so we can have privacy."

I raised my eyebrows. "The show rented out a whole restaurant?"

Chris grinned at me. "Well, the rest of us chipped in a lot so we could make sure there wouldn't be any paparazzi trying to sneak in. There will be security there too."

Tom came out of the bathroom with water droplets dripping down his body and a towel hanging loosely on his hips.

Fucking hell.

Chris laughed in his spot next to me, and Tom raised his eyebrows.

"What's so funny?" he asked Chris as he dropped the towel to wring some of the moisture out of his hair.

"The look on her face when you walked out. The change in her body language. After everything last night...she could still go another round," Chris answered.

Tom looked at me as he slowly dried off his body, and I felt my body clench with need. "Oh, darling, you're insatiable."

"I have never met anyone who loves sex as much as her," Chris said. "She has got to be sore, and yet she still could go again."

I blushed and pushed Chris away so I could get out of bed. "Ughhhh. Men," I muttered and brushed past Tom to go into the bathroom.

He grabbed my arm, making me stumble a little as he pulled me against him. "Evie, don't I get a 'good-luck' kiss?" he asked, his lips pouting at me.

I rolled my eyes and went on tiptoe to kiss him. "Happy?" I teased. "Good luck." I smacked his ass and retreated to the bathroom as they both chuckled.

"Happy birthday, beautiful!" Tom told me through the door, making me smile.

As I got in the shower, I wondered if I was turning into a sex addict. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want Chris to come in here and fuck me.

Good thing he could read my mind and did just that minutes later.

***

We finally got out to the kitchen just before noon, and Seb, Max, Mackie and Lizzie were still in there chatting and picking at breakfast.

"Happy birthday!" they all said as I walked into the room.

Thankfully they had made extra food, and Chris sat right down and started piling food up on his plate. He grunted a hello at everyone before stuffing his face.

Everyone stared at him like he grew a third head, and then looked at me.

"What the hell did you do to him last night? He never eats like this unless he's just finished filming and finally gets to eat normal again," Mackie said, a smirk on his face.

"Fuck off," Chris said through all the food in his mouth and then flipped him off.

Seb made a face. "You're lucky your girlfriend slept with you before she just saw that because that was disgusting."

Chris flipped him the finger and everyone laughed.

I chuckled and went to grab a cup of coffee. I leaned my butt against the counter and sipped from the cup as I watched Chris scarf down his whole plate before getting seconds.

"Dude, seriously what did you do to him last night?" Seb asked.

I smirked and shrugged my shoulders as I took another sip of coffee. "You mean...what did I do to him all last night...oh and this morning?"

Chris choked on his mouthful of food and Seb slapped his back hard until he stopped coughing. Mackie and Seb gaped at me a little.

Lizzie was laughing and Max came over and high fived me.

"Yes, girl. Get. It," Max said.

Lizzie walked over and giggled, trying to cover her mouth. "You're nuts," she told me.

"Nah, man. You just don't know Evie as well as me. Evie's sometimes just brutally honest...and Evie loves sex," Max told her.

I shrugged and walked over to where the guys were sitting so I could get food. "Guilty." Seb and Mackie were still staring at me with their mouths dropped open and I rolled my eyes at them. "Oh, shut your mouths before you catch flies."

"Sorry. We just didn't know our friend here could keep up with...a woman like you," Mackie said.

Chris glared at them and was about to say something with his mouth full of food again, but I squeezed his hand to stop him.

I leaned over the table with my hands flat on the surface and stared at the three of them. "I think there's probably a lot of things you didn't know your friend could do that he does in the bedroom."

Chris blushed bright red, and Seb and Mackie were finally shocked into silence.

Max and Lizzie busted out laughing behind me.

"Holy shit," Lizzie said, doubled over from laughing so hard. "You're my fucking hero."

I took some eggs and juice, and got up to get yogurt from Tom's fridge. I had decided after last night if I was going to be keeping up with two men on a pretty regular basis that I should probably start trying to take better care of myself and lose some of this weight.

Chris finished eating, his face still blushing a little bit. We all chatted as we finished eating and cleaned up. We were going to leave in about half an hour for the show.

I went to grab Chris's plate from him, but he shocked me by pulling me into his lap to kiss me gently.

"I love you."

I laughed and nuzzled his face gently. "I love you, too."

"Oh, barf," Seb said as he got up and left the kitchen.

"Okay, you two. Before you get carried away, we have to leave in half an hour. Unless you can do what you gotta do in half an hour," Max said.

I rolled my eyes and threw a bagel at her head before kissing Chris.

***

We had gone to the show, and it was a fantastic last show for them all. I jokingly gave Tom flowers when he met us outside afterward, and he hugged me tight.

The rest of the Avengers crew loved the show and were so glad they had been able to come see it. As a big group, we took a big limo to the restaurant and met up with the rest of the cast and crew.

Tom parted ways with us to do what he had to do, and the rest of us sat at one big table to eat dinner.

The alcohol and conversation was flowing easily between us all, and eventually after toasts and cheers were all made, Tom trickled back over to us and squeezed a chair in next to me.

"You guys really enjoyed it?" Tom asked everyone who hadn't seen it already.

"It was excellent," Robert said. "You did good."

"We all enjoyed it," Scarlett said.

"Are you sad it's over?" Jeremy asked him.

Tom nodded his head. "A little bit. But now I can take a break until I've got to start filming for Marvel again."

"Are you going to go back home?" Chris H. asked.

Tom shook his head. "Actually, I thought I might stick around the states."

"Well, you've practically lived here for how many years anyway," Mark pointed out.

"We definitely like having you around," Seb said. "You should move to Boston like I am. You'd be close to Chris, and Evie and Max are going to move there."

Scarlett raised her flawless eyebrows at Chris and I.

"Um, not like that," I told her. "It's way too soon. Max and I are going to look for a place together...IF we can find jobs."

"You'll find something," Chris reassured me, putting an arm around my shoulder. "You've been applying to places all week."

"Things must be pretty serious between you two if you're considering switching cities to be near him," Jeremy said, his attention focused on me.

I looked over at Chris then and he was giving me that earth shattering smile of his. I smiled back at him and then looked at Jeremy. "I think so. The distance is the hardest part. But really a change of pace would be nice right now. My job's gone to shit and I'd like to find somewhere that I can make more money and be appreciated for what I can do. Max and I are in this together so it only makes sense that we both go. And since Seb is moving too...it just all makes sense."

Robert was staring between Chris and me and Max and Seb. "I'm really happy for you guys. You all look ridiculously happy."

"The honeymoon phase," Chris H. said.

"Yeah. Hold on tight to it while you can," Scarlett joked.

We changed the subject, deciding to talk about something else when a waiter brought out a piece of cheesecake for me with a candle that was lit.

Everyone sang my happy birthday, and I mean EVERYONE. The whole restaurant stopped and sang, and I felt myself blushing. How had they known?

I looked over at Tom and he grinned at me. I rolled my eyes at him and nudged his leg with mine. The jerk. When the song was finished, I blew out the candle and then looked at the giant piece of cheesecake.

"I woke up this morning thinking I need to start eating better, and then this lands in front of me," I laughed. "It fucking figures."

"But cheesecake is your favorite," Chris and Tom said at the same time, making me laugh. They were fucking adorable.

"Tom, you seem to know Evie well," Mark said before stealing a piece of my cheesecake. I let everyone else have a bite, and was happy that half of it was gone by the time I got to it.

"Yeah, Evie and I are good friends," Tom explained. "I met her not long after Chris did."

"Well, I met her the same weekend as Chris, and I can't say that I know what her favorite dessert is," Seb pointed out.

I flipped Seb off. "That's because you pay far too much attention to Max...which I can't say I blame you over."

Seb laughed and wrapped his arm around Max. "You're not wrong."

Tom and Chris helped me finish the cheesecake, and I got excited as I heard music start to play and people started to get up to dance.

"Yes! I sort of wanted to go dancing for my birthday," I admitted.

"Why didn't you say something?" Chris asked.

I shrugged. "You had so many things planned."

"Yeah, but-"

I laughed and slapped my hand over Chris's mouth. "Babe, it's fine. There's music and dancing right here right now...and it's still my birthday."

"Just don't forget who taught you how to dance," Mackie said, and I saluted him.

"You taught her how to dance?" Jeremy asked, sipping on his beer.

"So the first time we met her was at Tom's party for when the show started. It was a huge party and Evie said... Wait what did you say? I can't remember the exact wording, but the second you said it, I knew you were the perfect woman for Chris."

I was about to answer Mackie, but Chris cut me off. "She said, 'The music moves me, but it moves me ugly'." I looked over at Chris and he was smiling at Mackie. "I'll never forget that night either," he admitted to everyone as they laughed at the quote.

"Oh, Evie. I really love you, kid," Robert said.

"Well, then let's put these dancing skills to the test," Mark said, holding a hand out to me. "As long as Chris doesn't mind."

"Go right ahead. I'll cut in eventually," Chris answered.

I took Mark's hand and we joined the rest of the crowd on the floor.

***

I had danced with everyone, and finally Chris cut in just as 'Senorita' by Camilla Cabello and Shawn Mendes came on.

"I freaking love this song," I yelled to him and started mouthing the words and dancing with Chris. I moved my hips in time with the music, and let myself get really into the song.

Chris ground his hips against mine and he kissed the side of my neck. I spun toward him and pushed at his chest, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me to him so he could kiss me. I let him kiss me and then pulled away to look at him. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "That was the fucking sexiest thing I have ever seen."

I smirked at him as the song changed and heard our group cheering us on. 'Shut Up and Dance' came on next, and Tom came over to join us in this one.

This was definitely the best birthday weekend I've ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're all still with me after this horrendous piece of writing...thank you.
> 
> And I'm sorry...
> 
> It picks back up soon with some really intense drama coming up!!!!
> 
> Comments? *cringe* I mean or not.........if not I definitely get it...


	32. Chapter 32: "We'll figure it out."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie has some trouble with her job but then gets some good news...
> 
> However...everything comes crashing down when Evie figures something out...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again...So you all know by now I suck at chapter summaries right? LOL I'm sorry!
> 
> This has some fluff in it...but it's mostly drama and a bit of angst.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

We had gotten back to my apartment really late, just Max, Seb, Chris and I, but we went right to bed. I had work the next day.

I felt like a wreck when I woke up the next day, but dragged myself out of bed and got ready for work. I knew Chris would still be here when I got home which is what kept me going.

When I got to work, I was immediately cornered by my boss, the Director of the library, Carol.

"You're five minutes late," she said as she stalked toward me.

"Carol, I'm sorry. There was a lot of traffic."

"Or maybe it's because you were out all weekend partying with your friends?" She threw some random tabloids on my desk. "I saw these in the grocery store. They don't mention your name, but I know that's you."

The tabloids were filled with pictures of our group out this weekend. There was a lot of speculation about Chris and I being in a relationship, and yet again they were trying to figure out who I was.

"Carol, what I do in my free time is not your concern."

"It is when it affects your job."

I reeled back. "Excuse me? How is this affecting my job?"

"You're taking off more and more days, and I've already had 3 phone calls today from concerned patrons who have seen your picture on the magazines."

"Carol, how is that even possible? We just opened."

"I have been here since 6 am," she snapped at me.

She towered over me. She was tall for a woman, and had short white hair since she was in her 70s. She was very old fashioned, and I knew that the board wanted her gone, but they were too afraid her father's foundation would pull their yearly funding for the library. I had put up with a lot from her over the years, but this was just insane.

"Carol, I can assure you that this is not affecting my ability to do my job."

"You're skating on thin ice," she seethed, and left my office with steam coming out of her ears.

Liz walked by my office and stood in the doorway for a second to mouth, 'What the fuck?' before she walked away.

I sighed and got to work, shutting myself in my office so I didn't have to deal with Carol anymore. Mid-morning I got a phone call from Northeastern University asking if they could set up a skype interview with me for today. I was ecstatic, and we set up the meeting for my lunch at noon.

When noon came, I rushed out to my car with my personal laptop, and thanked the heavens that I had a mobile hotspot to hook up to the internet so I could get onto skype. I sat the laptop on my dashboard and sat in the passenger seat. It was cold, so I started my car up and got the heat going.

I spoke with the hiring committee at Northeastern's library and answered a few more questions about myself. I thought the conversation went very well, and sure enough about 2 hours later, they called me asking me if I would be able to come in for a personal interview tomorrow at 9 am.

"Absolutely," I said, with no hesitation. I would come up with something to get off for the day. This was important...and if it was going as well as I felt it was, I could very well have a new job.

Around 3, I finally approached Carol's office, nervous about what she would say since I was apparently already skating on thin ice and she didn't like the fact that I had been taking off more and more.

This wasn't going to go over well.

"Carol?" She grunted at me in response. "Listen, I'm sorry to ask this, especially in light of how our conversation went this morning, but I really need to take tomorrow off. I have to go to my doctor tomorrow and it's very important."

"No."

"No?"

"You heard me. I said no. You should schedule your doctor's appointment for after work like everyone else does."

"But-"

"I don't want to even hear it, anymore Evelyn. Reschedule your appointment." She paused and looked up at me. "You can leave my office now."

I was seething as I turned away, but stopped in my tracks when I heard what she said next. "Don't you even think about calling out sick tomorrow. If you call out sick, you're fired. I don't care what kind of doctor's note you have. I will fire you."

Everyone else in the back offices was now hearing what was going on and they were all peeking out of their offices.

I saw Liz and Craig cringe. I couldn't take this bullshit anymore. Throwing tabloids on my desk in front of me had honestly been my breaking point this morning, but this just pushed me right over the fucking edge.

"You know what, Carol? You don't have to fire me because I quit."

"What?!" she yelled. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me. I QUIT!" I screamed at her, and made my way to my office to pack up what little I had in there. I'd been here for almost 4 years, and I had barely made my own office into my own space. But we hadn't been allowed to decorate much because it was deemed 'unprofessional'. 

When I was done, Carol was pacing the hallway waiting for me to leave, but I ignored whatever she said as I left the building.

It wasn't until I got home that I fully realized what I had done. My hands were shaking as I opened the apartment door and went in.

Chris and Seb were on the couch watching a movie, and Chris stared at me in confusion. "Babe, I thought you worked until 5?"

Seb saw the look on my face. "Hey, wait Evie are you okay?"

I shook my head and set my stuff down on the table and sat down in a chair, holding my head in my hands.

Chris crouched down beside me and rubbed my back. "Babe, what's wrong?"

"Umm..." I let out a shaky breath and felt some tears come to my eyes. "I just quit my job."

His eyes widened. "What happened?" he asked, pulling out a chair. I saw Seb do the same and felt his hand squeeze my arm in encouragement.

"She...basically attacked me this morning. Our pictures are on a lot of tabloids and she said this was affecting my job and that I was on thin ice."

"That's fucking bullshit. The press doesn't even know your name yet," Seb said.

"I got a call from Northeastern," I said quietly, and saw Chris smile softly.

"Yeah? How did it go?" he asked.

"We did a skype interview, and they want me to go tomorrow morning for a personal interview."

"That soon? They must have liked you," Seb said.

"But I bet that didn't go over well with Carol," Chris said.

"No it didn't. I told her I had an important appointment that I couldn't miss, and she flat out told me I couldn't have off. Then she said if I called out sick she would fire me no matter what kind of doctor's note I had."

"What?!" both Chris and Seb exclaimed.

"I was so mad all day because of how she treated me this morning...and everything from the past few months...even the past few years sort of just came crashing back to me, and I lost it. I quit. I told her she didn't have to fire me because I quit. I packed up my stuff and just left."

"Babe, I am so proud of you. That place has been affecting your mental health the past few weeks, and I know you weren't happy there," Chris said, kissing my hand.

"But, Chris, what if I don't get the job at Northeastern? What the fuck am I going to do?"

He pulled me into his lap and I started to cry a little bit. "Babe, please don't worry. Everything will be okay. You'll see...I promise."

I took a deep breath and breathed in the scent that was all Chris, trying to calm down. 

"It's going to be okay," he whispered in my ear again.

***

When Max got home, I found out she had an interview at Northeastern too the next day, so the four of us quickly packed up and went back to Boston. We didn't get there until after midnight, but Chris quickly set up the guest room for them and we went to sleep.

The next day went by in a blur, I woke up, got ready, and went to my interview feeling more nervous than I had in a long time. I wanted this job badly. I NEEDED this job. But I think it went well.

When it was over, I went back to Chris's and waited for Max to get done with hers. When she came back, it was only about half an hour later that my phone rang.

It was them! I had gotten the job!

We were cheering and screaming when we heard Max's phone ring, and we went silent as she answered.

I knew from her body language that she had gotten the job too, and then she hung up and we started screaming again.

"Wait!" Chris said, stopping up from screaming like lunatics. "When do you guys start?"

"Next semester...so not until mid-January. They asked me to come back tomorrow and fill out paperwork to get everything started," I answered him.

"Same here," Max said.

"Wow! That's great! I'm so proud of you! And you get some time off in the meantime to relax," Chris said.

I felt panic rise up in my chest at the fact that I wouldn't be working for more than a month.

Max squeezed my hand. "We'll figure it out," she said to me quietly. She could read me like a book.

Chris was staring at us in confusion. "Figure what out?"

I looked at Max, begging her not to say anything. "Where we're going to live," she said quickly and quite unconvincingly, but I didn't care. It changed the subject.

Chris couldn't know how much this was going to financially break me to not work for a month, and I never wanted him to find out.

***

The rest of the week passed by in a blur. Max and I spent the next day in Boston filling out paperwork for our new jobs, and then we went right into house hunting. Chris and Seb found a whole bunch of listings for houses for rent online, and we checked them all out. Max had to return to work the next day, Thursday, but her job was much more understanding when she gave them her notice and they wished her the best of luck. Her semester was ending next week, and she would get about a month off before she started her new job. It'd be easier for her financially since she was salaried. I was not salaried since I had been working at a public library.

I stayed in Boston on Thursday, looking at more houses with Chris and Seb until we found the perfect one. It was a small 2 bedroom ranch house. It was only one story with a basement, but the house was situated in such a way that the bedrooms were on opposite sides of the house. There were also 2 bathrooms close to each bedroom, and a small galley kitchen, living room, dining room, and that was it. It had a small yard, but we didn't need much.

The important thing was that the price was just right for Max and I. It also had been recently renovated so it didn't need any work, and it was only 5 blocks from Chris's house.

Friday I spent the day filling out paperwork for the lease, and Max wired me her half of the security and first month's rent money so I could give it to the landlord. We wouldn't be moving in until January 1st, but I wanted to make sure we got it now before someone else tried to scoop it up. The landlord had wanted us to move in right away, but understood that it wasn't possible and assured us he would make sure it was all cleaned professionally again before we moved in.

I finally felt like my life was getting on the right track, and I couldn't wait until I could start my job as the Interlibrary Loan Librarian at Northeastern University.

***

The week just before Christmas was flying by. Chris was helping Seb and Tom move to Boston this week, and I was busy packing up my whole apartment with Max. My grandmother had been upset that we were leaving, but she understood we were getting better jobs with better pay, and she understood following your heart to be near the one you love.

It was now Friday December 20th, and Christmas Day would be on a Wednesday this year which was a pain in the ass. 

Chris and I were going to get a rental car to drive to my mom's for Christmas Eve morning and stay until as late as we could. From there, we were going to drive to the nearest airport, drop off the rental, and fly back to Boston and get an uber to his house so we could be at his mom's Christmas Day.

It was going to be exhausting, and I was sort of freaking out about the money, but Chris was being insistent on paying for everything since his mom really wanted us there for Christmas Day.

Max and I had packed up everything we possibly could into boxes, and we were basically living out of duffle bags for the time being and surviving on take out food so we didn't have to keep our kitchen stuff unpacked.

Max was currently out getting some of her errands done, and I was going to the bank where I had my school loan financed through (as well as my car) to see if I could get some kind of deferment on at least my school loan payments for now. I had already paid my car loan bill for this month, and next month's I knew I'd be able to pay with my last paycheck from my job.

I had drained my savings down to a new low of $100 to split the security and first month's rent with Max on the new place, and I knew I was going to have a hard time paying my school loan.

"Ms. Anderson, I'm really confused why you would be asking for an extension on this loan when you don't have any balance due," the woman in the loan office at the bank said from behind her desk.

I blinked at her. "Excuse me?" I clearly had not heard her right.

"Hold on. Give me one second here," she muttered, and started clicking on a few things and typing something on her keyboard. She printed out a few pieces of paper, and circled a few things before handing them to me. "Ms. Anderson, both of your loans were paid off 2 days ago."

She pushed papers toward me, showing me that my school loan and car loan were completely paid off.

I felt the blood drain from my face and my stomach dropped to my feet. "Would you be able to tell me what the balance is on my savings account?" I asked her. I had a hunch.

She clicked through a few different screens and handed me another print out. It showed me that 3 days ago, I did have just $100 left in it like I had thought, but then 2 days ago someone had deposited $5,000.

I held my head in my hands and cursed under my breath.

"Ms. Anderson, is everything okay? Is something not accurate with your account? I can assure you that if there's a problem we will do whatever-"

I cut her off and stood up, grabbing all the papers she gave me. "No. It's accurate. Thank you for all of your help. I'll be contacting you at the start of the year when I move to get my address changed."

I walked out of there so angry and hurt that tears were coming out of my eyes. This had to be Chris who had done this. No one else would have. Why did he do this when he said he wouldn't?

I got in my car and turned it on with the heat and sat there for a minute. It was just starting to snow a little, and I knew we were supposed to get a storm, but I didn't care. I knew what I had to do.

I didn't care that I had nothing with me except the clothes I was wearing. I drove straight to Boston.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...had to be Chris who did it right?
> 
> Next chapter is going to be more drama!!
> 
> Comments please?


	33. Chapter 33: "...I never said the words 'I promise'."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie finds out who paid off her loans, and she loses her shit. A big argument follows, and Evie tries to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I'm VERY happy about the amount of comments on the last chapter! You guys are truly the best readers. I loved seeing everyone's guess at who could have paid off her loans...so let's dive right in!

Err...well, okay so it took me a long time. The further north I got, the worse the weather was. People were driving slow on the highways, and some were even stuck on the side of the road, but I kept going, driven by so much anger and hurt that I knew I had to confront him.

He had betrayed me in what felt like the worst way possible. I didn't know what I was going to do, but I knew I needed to see him.

It took me 8 hours to get to Boston instead of the normal 4ish, and it was dark when I pulled into Chris's driveway, but his truck wasn't even there. I hit my steering wheel in frustration and looked at the time. It was after 8 pm. I hadn't talked to him since this morning, but realized maybe he was still at Seb's new place helping him move in still.

I left the gate to the driveway open since he would probably be back soon, and used my spare key he had given me to go in the house.

Dodger greeted me, and I pet him and turned on the hall light so I could take my wet shoes off.

"Hey-" Tom made me jump as he came out of the living room. "Oh, Evie, I thought Chris was back. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Chris. Where is he?"

"He should be back any minute," he answered, taking my coat from me to hang up. "Wait, Evie...you drove through a snow storm to come here to see Chris? Why did you do that?" Tears filled my eyes, and Tom instantly looked worried. "Evie...darling, what's wrong?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but the door opened up behind me and Chris came in.

"Evie, what are you doing here? It's a mess everywhere out there. They just shut down the highway." Chris took off his boots, jacket and hat and then hung his stuff up. 

I swallowed hard, trying to talk, but couldn't. I hated that I cried when I got this mad.

"Babe, what's wrong?" Chris asked, finally realizing that I was crying.

"You!" I finally was able to shout.

"Evie, what the hell?" Chris asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He tried to walk toward me, but I backed away from him.

"No. Just don't," I said. "I went to my bank earlier to see if I could postpone the payments on my school loan. And what do you think they fucking told me, Chris?" I yelled, wiping at my face angrily.

Chris was silent as he stared at me.

"Damnit, Chris!" I threw the papers from the bank at him, but it was very unsatisfying since they just floated to the floor. "You promised me you wouldn't do this! You have betrayed my trust in the WORST way possible!" I shouted.

"Evie, don't do this," he said, walking forward to grab me.

I backed up and pushed him away, accidentally stepping on Tom behind me. Tom grabbed me to steady me so I didn't fall, but I pulled away from him too and went into the living room. "No! Neither of you fucking touch me. Chris, you PROMISED you weren't going to do this!"

Chris came into the living room, but Tom stayed in the hallway, unsure where he should go since this wasn't his fight. "Baby, I never said the words 'I promise'."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I screamed. "Okay, so you didn't fucking say the words 'I promise', but you still said you wouldn't do it! Chris, you paid off my school loans and my car loan! That was $30,000! And then you put $5,000 in my savings! How could you ever think I would be okay with this?! How did you even get the information to do this behind my back?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, Evie, Max has been worried about you. She knows you spent every last cent for the house, and she said you wouldn't tell me that things were going to be bad for you until you started your new job so she felt she had to tell me. She gave me your mom's number, and I called your mom since she is the secondary person on those accounts and she gave the bank the okay to talk to me with your mom on the line too."

"Max had no right to tell you shit! And you fucking called my mother?!"

"Evie, your mom is worried sick about you! You called her over the weekend crying about money and how you didn't know how you were going to be able to pay your bills! Evie, you need to ask for help when you need help!" Now he was shouting too.

Good. Fucking good. If this was going to be a knockdown, drag out fight, we were going to do this right.

"You should not have done this behind my back. And I don't need your help," I spat out. "I don't need anyone's help! I've never needed anybody's help in my whole life, and I'm not about to start now!" Tears were still falling down my face, and my face was hot and red with anger. I crossed my arms under my chest and glared at him.

"Evie! God damnit. You cannot be this stubborn your entire life! Everyone needs help. EVERYONE! I'm sorry that I fucking LOVE you and was worried about you and wanted to help you. I'm sorry I had to go behind your back to do this, but you would have never let me do this otherwise. We talked about this. If we are going to stay together, you have to understand that money is never going to be an issue, and if I can help you out then what is so fucking wrong with that?!" he shouted at me, throwing his hands into the air in frustration. "And not to mention that you drove in a fucking snow storm and risked your life to come here and argue with me about this. Why would you do that?"

"Everything! Everything is wrong with that! I'm not some kind of fucking charity case here. You betrayed my trust. Do you know how fucking bad that hurts?!" I screamed. "I don't give a shit that it was snowing. I don't care! You had to know how I would react to this. You HAD to know how upset I would be! How the fuck am I supposed to pay you back almost $40,000! It will take me years!"

"You don't have to pay me back, Evie."

"The fuck I don't!" I shouted so loud my voice cracked. I took a deep breath and wiped my face angrily, feeling sobs shake my whole body as I tried to contain them. "You...you don't understand. You don't understand why this has hurt me so badly." I looked at him, and he didn't look as angry anymore, but I couldn't read the other emotion on his face. A few sobs finally escaped me, and I covered my face with my hands. "I can't do this."

I brushed past him to go to the foyer, ripping my coat out of the closet and trying to put it back on but my hands were shaking too much.

"No. No way, Evie," Tom finally said. He had been silent up until this point, and I had almost forgotten he was there. "You are not leaving this house with the weather being how it is and with you in the emotional state you are."

Chris came out to the foyer. "Evie, please. You can't leave. The highway is shut down. It's a mess out there. You'll get into an accident. I don't want you to end up hurt or worse."

"I can't do this right now. I can't stay here," I told them. "I need to not be near you," I said to Chris, my voice going down to a whisper.

Chris's eyes were wide and red, and I could see they were glistening with unshed tears. "Evie, please. Don't do this. Don't leave like this," he begged.

Tom came forward then, and before I could register what he had done, he had grabbed my keys from my hands.

"Give them back," I said as calmly as I could.

"No way. You are not leaving in this storm. You are not leaving when you're this upset," Tom said, begging me with his eyes to just agree with him.

I threw my jacket to the floor. "Fine!" I yelled. "Fine. I'll stay. But you two better leave me the FUCK alone," I shouted at them, now pissed at Tom too. I went over to the office/guest room and locked myself in before throwing myself on the bed to cry my eyes out.

What felt like hours later, my phone was going off non-stop. Max had tried to call me over 10 times since I left New York, and I had about 20 texts from just her. Even my mom and brother had called and texted me along with Seb, Mackie and Lizzie.

Great. Now everyone knew what was going on. How did everyone know already?

I turned off my phone and threw it on the floor, not wanting to talk to a single person in my life right now.

***

I must have cried myself to sleep because next thing I knew, I woke up from some kind of weird dream with a huge headache. I put my glasses on and sat up in the bed, feeling like I was in an unfamiliar place since I was used to sleeping in Chris's room with him.

A sigh escaped my lips as I got out of the bed. My head was pounding, and I was so uncomfortable because I had slept in my jeans and sweater. I took them off, but I knew I couldn't walk around in just my underwear and a tank top. I searched through the drawers in the small dresser and was thankful to find a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt. The clothes were men's, but they were smaller than Chris normally wore his clothes so I figured they must be Tom's. They were actually almost tight on me, but not enough to make me care.

I quietly walked out of the guest room and was surprised to see Dodger laying right by the door. He whined when he saw me, and I scratched his head and leaned down to kiss him. He followed me as I went into the bathroom to use it and to find some advil. I took 2 pills out and went to the kitchen for a glass of water with Dodger still on my heels.

Dodger stood at the glass door and looked back at me. I turned on the outside light and let him out. He ran like a lunatic through the deep snow. We must have gotten about a foot.

I watched him play through the closed door, but he got cold quickly and came back. Chris had a towel hanging by the door, and I dried Dodger off as best as I could.

"You're a good boy, bud," I whispered to him. "Why did you stay up here by my door, huh?"

"He wouldn't go downstairs with Chris," Tom answered from the kitchen entrance, making me jump. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"What do you mean he wouldn't go with Chris?"

"When you went to the guest room, Dodger went right to the door and whined at it for quite some time and scratched at it. I think he wanted to go in and comfort you because he knew you were upset. You didn't hear him?"

I shook my head and muttered, "I cried harder last night than I have in a long time and cried myself to sleep...so no I didn't hear him."

Tom watched me as I took the advil. "I'm guessing the headache is probably from the crying."

I nodded, and felt stupid when tears started forming in my eyes again. "Yeah," I choked out, my voice cracking. 

Tom cautiously moved toward me, and when I didn't back away from him he pulled me into his arms. I leaned my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. He rubbed my back and kissed my hair as I cried into his shirt.

"Evie, you know that Chris really loves you. He didn't do this to betray your trust. He cares about you, and he didn't want you to worry about money."

"He should have approached me about it. He should have..." I broke off, not sure what I was going to say.

"Sweetheart, I'm not saying it was right of him to go behind your back, but he felt like he had no choice because you weren't telling him what was going on. He had to hear it from Max and your mom."

Tom led me to the living room and sat me on the couch where he had obviously been sleeping since there were a few blankets and a pillow there.

I sat down and put a blanket over my lap, clutching it up to my chin. "What would you have done? If it had been you, I mean."

Tom thought about it for a minute and then looked at me. "No answer I give you is going to make you happy."

"Tell me anyway."

"I would have done the same thing."

I closed my eyes and felt more tears fall. "I've never depended on anyone. I've never asked for help. I've never needed..."

"Eve, it's okay to need help. Everyone needs help once in a while. You have people in your life who care about you a lot, people who would do anything for you. Some of those people were not able to financially help you since they have financial problems of their own, but you have someone now who loves you more than anything and can take care of you. You've taken care of yourself for so long. There is nothing wrong with letting someone else take care of you for once."

I was silent. I looked over at Tom, his hair messy and tousled from sleep and his glasses hanging low on his nose, and I realized he was right, but...

"Why am I so scared to depend on someone like this? To need someone? What's wrong with me?"

"There's nothing wrong with you. I think, for you, depending on someone or asking for help is like opening yourself to something that could potentially hurt you. I think you're afraid that if you really truly open yourself up and let someone help you that you think they will then have all the power in their hands to break you."

Fucking hell he was right. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Read me like I'm a book?"

Tom turned toward me, moving Dodger a little so that he could adjust his legs. "You aren't easy to read, but from all of our deep conversations we've had, I feel like you still think you'll wake up one day and Chris will..." he broke off, trying to find the right words.

"Suddenly realize he's dating someone so broken that he'll think I'm not worth fixing? That he'll realize I'm not right for him? That he'll realize he can easily get any woman in the universe he wants so why the fuck would he want me?"

Tom stared at me a little shocked. "Tell me you don't feel like that."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "You don't see it, do you?"

"See what?"

"How beautiful you actually are. How much Chris actually loves you. Sweetheart, he really loves you. He wants to fix everything in you that's ever been broken."

"But what if he realizes that so much of me is broken that I'm not worth fixing?"

"Sweetheart, you can't keep living your life living by what-ifs. You have to start living by what IS. I have never seen him care about someone like he does you. You have opened up a whole new part of him that I don't even think he knew existed. You think you're scared? You're not alone. He told me that telling you he loved you was the scariest thing he's ever done because he knew there was a chance you could run from him and his whole world would implode around him. He wants to be there for you. He wants to help you. He wants to keep loving you." He paused to wipe my face. "You can't keep pushing him away."

I sat there for a few minutes, my mind spinning with everything Tom said. I had been such an idiot. An irrational, selfish, blind idiot.

I got up from the couch, but Tom grabbed my hand.

"If you're going down to him, you may not want to wear my clothes to his bed," he said.

I smiled softly at him. "Thanks," I muttered before kissing his cheek. I went back to the spare room and took off the borrowed clothes. I folded them neatly and put them away, grabbed my stuff from the room, and let Dodger follow me downstairs to Chris's room.

I took off my bra, but left the tank top and underwear on, and crawled into his bed. I had expected him to be asleep. What I didn't expect was for him to be awake and there to be wet tear tracks on his face and pillow.

My chest clenched with sorrow. It nearly killed me to see him cry knowing that all of this had been my fault.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, feeling tears choke up my throat again. "I'm sorry."

He pulled me against him and I cried against his bare chest. "No I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't mean to...I thought you were going to-" He swallowed hard. "God, Evie, I thought in the morning when you woke up you were going to dump me. I fucked this up. I fucked this up so bad."

I looked up at him, seeing more tears fall from his eyes. "Chris, no. No way. I can't lose you. I-" I swallowed hard and sucked in a deep breath. "I need you. I need you like I've never needed anyone else before, and it still scares the shit out of me. I'm sorry I came here to fight with you. I'm sorry that I didn't understand."

We went quiet as we held each other and cried. Dodger jumped on the bed and whined, nudging both of us with his nose before laying at the foot of the bed.

"I love you," I told Chris, feeling completely exhausted.

"I love you too, Evie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...thoughts?
> 
> I know...Evie is SO stubborn...but can you blame her? After everything we know about her?
> 
> Comments make me happy!! <3 Love you all!


	34. Chapter 34: "That's because you are so head over heels in love with that man that you barely even know which way is up anymore."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Chris talk out their issues, and then go see Evie's family on Christmas Eve. Once there, Evie's mom tells her some things that she really needs to hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay a day early!!! My boyfriend is coming over for a few days so I'm gunna take a little break, but didn't want to leave you all hanging.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this one!

I woke up with Chris wrapped tightly around me, as if he were afraid I would leave during the night. Dodger was sleeping very close to me too. I had zero room to move, and since I had to go to the bathroom, I had a difficult time maneuvering myself out from between them both.

When I was done with the bathroom, Dodger was gone from the room and Chris was sitting on the edge of his bed rubbing his face.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey." I sat down next to him and he wrapped an arm around me. We were quiet for a few minutes, but finally I couldn't stand it anymore. "Chris, I'm fucked up. I'm fucked up and broken probably beyond repair. I have emotional baggage that no other person in their right mind would put up with."

"Then I must not be in my right mind. I don't care, Evie. I don't fucking care. You keep saying you're broken, but what you don't realize is that I'm right fucking here trying to help you pick up the pieces. I've got my glue and tape ready, and I'm never going to stop. I love you. Nothing else matters to me. If you're fucked up then so am I. We're fucked up together."

I looked at him, really looked at him. I saw all of the ways this whole thing could fall apart and go wrong, but more importantly I saw all of the ways that it could go right. I pushed away all of the bad thoughts and clung to all of the good. I leaned my forehead against his. "We're so fucked up."

"Baby, I don't care as long as we are together."

I wiped some tears out of my eyes, and grabbed his hand. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"I want to take a bath, and I need to feel you inside of me," I told him, stripping the rest of my clothes off.

He followed me to the bathroom and made love to me so tenderly and with so much love that I felt like I was floating on cloud 9. We would be okay. I could feel it in my heart that we would be okay.

***

By the time we got upstairs, Tom had made breakfast and left it warming in the oven for us while he played outside in the snow with Dodger.

I laughed as Dodger bounced around like a puppy with Tom chasing him through the snow. Chris wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed the top of my head.

"What made you come to me last night?" he asked me.

I turned in his arms. "Tom heard me wake up. He um...he's like a therapist or something. I swear. He made me realize so many things about myself, and he made me realize how dumb I was being."

"He's done the same thing to me before. It's like he's the very voice of reason."

"Seriously," I said with a snort before pulling back to grab a much needed cup of coffee.

Chris and I sat at the table to eat as Tom and Dodger came back in the door. I watched as Tom very caringly dried off Dodger, stroking the fur on his head. When Dodger was relatively dry, Tom let him go and Dodger went to his water bowl to drink and then laid down 10 feet away from the table like Chris had trained him to so he wouldn't beg for food.

Tom took his layer of wet clothes off and pulled a chair over to the door to hang them on. "Hey." He looked closely at the two of us. "Everything okay?"

Chris nodded at him. "Evie told me you talked to her." He stood up and pulled Tom into a sudden hug, and I laughed as they smacked each other on the back like men always seemed to have to do. "Thanks, man. I don't know what you said to her, but..." He paused and pulled away from the hug to look at the other man. "You always know what to say, and you know her I think sometimes better than me."

"Not better than you," Tom clarified. "Just..."

"Different from me?" Chris supplied and Tom nodded. "If it were any other man, I'd be personally offended and want to punch them, but it's you. I'm glad it's you. You're one of my best friends. You're more than that to her, and I'm just really glad she has both of us."

I stood up and walked over to them both, putting my arms around them to hug them to me. I kissed Chris first and then Tom.

Tom looked puzzled. "You still want to um...continue whatever this is?" he asked, gesturing between the three of us.

"Yes," Chris and I both said without hesitation, and some kind of tension went out of Tom's body that I hadn't realized was there before.

"Thank God," Tom muttered before kissing me again, this time deeper and with so much feeling.

***

It was Christmas Eve morning, and Chris and I were rushing around trying to pack our rental car with the gifts for my mom, brother, and niece. We were also packing Max's car with the gifts I needed to get to Chris's house since she was going to be spending Christmas in Boston with us and so was Seb. Tom was staying in Boston too and he was going to watch Dodger for Chris while we visited my mom.

When I had come back home from Chris's over the weekend, Max had been so pissed at me that I had risked my life to drive to see Chris during a snowstorm. Her and I had a bit of a fight, but we were good now and she was glad that I had gotten some clarity on things with Chris and I.

When the cars were all packed, Chris and I set off for northeastern Pennsylvania. We sang along to the Greatest Showman soundtrack the whole way, and stopped for a quick bite to eat at one of my favorite places...Wawa. Chris had thought I was crazy when I suggested we stop there for gas and for lunch, but he didn't understand the draw to Wawa until he tried the coffee and the delicious sandwich that he ordered.

"This is the best coffee I have ever tasted," he said, as we sat in the car with the heat on and ate.

"I told you Wawa is the best. Dunkin and Starbucks suck compared to this."

"Why have you never graced me with Wawa coffee before?"

"Um...because Wawa is a rarity everywhere except certain states? Mostly Pennsylvania, New Jersey and just a few others."

We finished our food and got back on the road.

***

We made good time getting to Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and I was so excited when we finally got there.

We pulled in and the door opened and my almost 2 year old niece ran out the door around my brother's legs.

"Don't run, Ana!" my brother Ian yelled.

"I got her," I told him as she ran toward me.

I dropped all the stuff in my arms to the ground and crouched to catch her as she launched her tiny body at me.

"Titi! Titi! TITI!" she shrieked in her tiny voice.

I caught her in my arms and picked her up, holding her up above my head and spinning her around like I knew she loved. Airplane was her favorite. "Baby girl!" I hugged her to me and stroked the messy curls atop her head. "How's Titi's favorite girl in the world?"

"Good girl."

"You've been a good girl?" I kissed her again. "I know you've been a good girl. Daddy and Grandma tell me all the time how much you're a good girl."

She kissed me and hugged me tight, making my throat clog up with emotion. She pulled away from me and pointed her little finger at Chris who was getting stuff out of the trunk.

My brother ran out to help Chris unload everything, and I went into the house to get out of the cold since all Ana had on was a sweater.

I walked in and waited for Chris and Ian to get inside while I took off my shoes. Ana watched from the glass door and pointed at Chris again.

"Man?" she asked.

"That's Chris, baby girl."

"Cwis," she repeated, and I smiled at her.

"Yes, baby. That's right. Now where's Grandma?"

Ana wiggled out of my arms and ran toward the kitchen to get my mom.

Chris and Ian walked in carrying the loads of presents we had brought.

"Did you two introduce yourselves?" I asked, taking my coat off and hanging it up by the door.

"Yeah, dweeb. We did...no thanks to you," my idiot brother said, ruffling my curly hair as he pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

"Ow, Ian, you ass-"

"Titi here!" Ana shrieked as she ran back in, cutting me off from finishing out the curse. I knew they were trying to be so careful what they said around the baby since she repeated everything now.

My brother finally let go of me, and my mom was standing there wiping her hands with a dish cloth. "Hey, my girl," she said.

I felt my chest squeeze tight as tears came to my eyes. I walked to her and hugged her hard. "Hey, mommy," I said, holding her tight and never wanting to let her go. I had missed her so much.

"Hi, my girl," she whispered, stroking my hair back and kissing my forehead. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," I choked out.

She rocked me gently in her arms and shushed me. "Is that Chris?" she whispered to me.

"Yeah."

"Wow, Evie. He's so handsome," she admitted with a giggle.

I laughed at her and pulled away from the hug to wipe my eyes. "Mom! He can hear you."

Chris was standing behind me smiling the most charming smile in the world. "Hi, Mrs. Anderson. I'm Chris."

She waved the towel. "Oh, please. Call me Cheryl," she said, walking forward to hug him.

Ian looked at me and squeezed my hand. "Missed ya, kid."

"Why do you call me kid? You're 2 years younger than me," I said with a laugh and hugged him again. "I missed you, you big-"

"The baby is watching you," Ian warned me.

I spun toward where Ana was standing and saw her watching me. She grinned at me and ran at me again so I would pick her up. Of course I did. I gave that kid whatever she wanted and more. "Do you want to meet Chris?" I asked her.

She nodded, but hid her face shyly against my shirt. I walked up to Chris with her, and she looked at him but then hid her face again. "Baby, it's okay. Chris is a nice man. He's not a stranger," I told her, rocking her in my arms.

"Nice?"

"Yes, baby." I walked closer to Chris and he crouched a little so he could see her. "Ana, this is Chris," I said, turning so she would see him.

He smiled at her. "Hi, Ana. It's nice to meet you. Your Aunt Evie has told me a lot about you."

"Titi?"

"What, baby?"

"Cwis nice?"

"Yes, baby. Chris is very nice."

"Okay," she said and then held her arms out for Chris to pick her up.

Chris picked her up and stood to his full height. "Wow," Ana said. "Big!"

Ian, my mom and I all laughed at her. "Yes, Chris is tall, baby girl," Ian said. "I bet he'd be good at airplane."

"AIRPLANE!" Ana shrieked into Chris's ear, making him wince.

Chris looked around and then went to the living room which had the highest ceiling so he could play airplane with her.

And just like that, my family loved Chris.

***

Hours later, after we had eaten our early Christmas Eve dinner and opened all the presents, we sat in the living room and watched Ana play with her new dress-up set I had gotten her. I had gotten one for all of Chris's nieces too. They were these beautiful trunks that I had found in thrift stores and had fixed up. I had bought all the Disney Princess and girl superhero outfits that I could find in all of their sizes and put them in the trunks for them.

Well, okay Chris had helped pay for the outfits so it was from both of us.

"I made some dessert," my mom said. "Anyone want some?"

"Please," Chris said, helping Ana put on her Wonder Woman outfit.

"PIE!" Ana shrieked, clapping her hands happily, making Ian laugh really hard.

"Oh my god," I said, laughing hard too. "There is no doubt she is your kid, Ian. She loves pie I think more than you."

"Not possible," he said, pulling his phone out to take a picture of Ana in her outfit.

"Come help me, Evelyn," my mom asked, and we both went to the kitchen to get plates of pie ready for everyone.

"This smells so good, mommy," I said as I cut the cherry pie up and served it onto plates for us all.

"It's Ana's favorite. You know Ian loves it too...and I know you love it so don't give yourself such a small piece, Evelyn!" my mom said, gaping at the small piece I had cut for myself.

"I'm trying to cut back," I told her.

"I can tell." She put a hand on my shoulder. "You look like you've lost some weight."

"I lost almost 8 pounds. I've only been at it for about 3 weeks."

"That's great, sweetie, but I personally don't think you need to lose any weight."

I rolled my eyes and kissed her cheek. "I know, but I just want to get a little healthier is all."

She watched me put the pie away and get out whip cream to top the pieces of pie with. "I'm so happy my girl is happy. Chris is a wonderful man, and the way he loves you...it just radiates out of him like blinding sunlight."

I smiled at her. "Thanks, mommy. I really love him too."

She was quiet for a moment. "Are you mad at me that I gave him the information he needed in order to help you?"

I sighed. "Not anymore. I was mad at everyone at first, but..." I put down the can of whipped cream and looked at her. "You've always taught me not to depend on anyone except myself...especially a man."

She laughed and cupped my face in her hands. "Baby, even the strongest of people need help. I have waited for so long to be able to help you, and I can't. I can't help you and it kills me," she said, tearing up. "Chris loves you, baby. He loves you so much, and he was so worried about you...not as much as I worried about you, but enough. He knew you wouldn't be happy, but he couldn't let you do that to yourself." She let some tears fall down her face. "I'd let him do it all over again even if I knew you'd react as badly as you did. Maybe that's selfish."

"I understand now. I didn't get it before. I have never needed anyone..."

She smiled at me. "You never even needed me."

"That's not-"

"Baby, it is true. Look, you grew up too fast because I made you. I had to work, and I made you watch your brother, learn how to cook, and clean because I worked too many hours. When Ian was old enough, you even start working at the diner down the road. You have always been stubborn and self-sufficient. I take the blame for you feeling you couldn't need anyone because you never DID need anyone, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the things I couldn't control. I'm sorry that it still hurts you now at 31 years old. I'm sorry it's going to affect you forever. Please, please, Evelyn, I urge you to go to therapy. I urge you to seek that help." She wiped the tears off my face. "I know there's things you've done for your brother and I that you'll never tell me about, and I'm sorry that I can never repay you for all that you've done. I'm sorry that you still help us. But you've come to a point in your life where you need to start seeking help for you. You cannot go through the rest of your life never asking for help. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "I do. I do understand. Maybe you're right...maybe I need to get into therapy once I start my new job and the health benefits start."

"That's a great idea," she said, pulling me to her in a hug.

"It's so scary to need someone like I need Chris."

She laughed and pulled back from the hug to wipe my face. "That's because you are so head over heels in love with that man that you barely even know which way is up anymore."

I laughed loudly. "That is the most accurate description of my feelings ever. How did you know that?"

"It's there plain as day on both of your faces. I really am happy for you. He is handsome, smart, kind...everything I would ever want for you to have. And he loves you so very much. Never forget that." She paused. "Don't push him away. Don't do it. Let him take care of you. Let him fix all the broken parts inside you. If you push him away, you will only shatter yourself more. I don't want to see you hurt like that. Trust me, it's not pretty."

I nodded and hugged her. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

"PIE!" Ana shrieked from the living room, and both Ian and Chris laughed.

"Where's the pie? She really wants it," Ian yelled to us.

We both rolled our eyes and brought the plates of pie in on a tray for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? You've now gotten a little bit of a deeper look into Evie's life. It hasn't been easy. But...things are looking up for her.
> 
> Also I love kids SOOO much and based Ana off my own niece. The way she says Cwis is hysterical so I had to throw it in here. <3 <3
> 
> Comments?


	35. Chapter 35: "Babe, you trust me right?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris, Evie, Tom, Seb, and Max all spend Christmas Day at the Evans' household before going back to Chris's for a little celebration between friends. Lizzie and Mackie show up and they have some news for their friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! SOOOO here is some shameless plugging of a one-shot I wrote!
> 
> [Just Let Your Inhibitions Run Wild](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24869875)
> 
> It's a Bucky fic based off a dream I had a few weeks ago!!
> 
> ANYWAYS...

We thankfully had brought a duffle bag to put our gifts in from my mom, Ian and Ana. I had told them not to get us anything, but they hadn't listened. Just like I hadn't listened when they told me not to go overboard with Ana for her presents.

It was now 11pm and Chris and I were boarding our plane at the Lehigh Valley airport that would take us to Boston. We were flying first class, at Chris's insistence even though I had tried to argue against it. I was exhausted already, and was glad this flight would only be about 45 minutes. We had to be at Chris's mom's house at 9am, and we probably wouldn't be back at his house until about 1am.

Tom was going to pick us up at the airport so we didn't have to try and get an uber that late.

The plane took off, and I immediately closed my eyes.

"Babe, you trust me right?" Chris suddenly asked.

I opened my eyes a little. "I trust you 1,000%. What are you doing?"

He smiled at me and lifted my hand to his mouth to kiss my knuckles. "Something I should have done a long time ago," he said.

I had no idea what he was talking about and drifted off to sleep before I could ask.

***

It was Christmas morning and we had to be at Chris's parents' house in half an hour. I was beyond exhausted. We had gotten home around 1 and had gone right to bed.

Tom had coffee ready and waiting for me, and I was surprised when he handed me the cup he had put it in.

The cup was enormous, probably a 30 oz. one, and it was a beautiful sparkly black color that faded to sparkly dark purple toward the bottom. It also had white decals placed randomly around the cup. They were small, and I realized they were symbols from my favorite fandoms. There was Wonder Woman's symbol, Cap's shield, Loki's horns, the glasses and lightning bolt from Harry Potter as well as the Hufflepuff symbol, and a silhouette of Mickey Mouse from Disney. My name was also on the bottom of the cup in beautiful silver glitter lettering.

Tom smiled at me and turned the cup in his hands. On the back of the cup was a big decal that said "Dwight, you ignorant slut" in cursive lettering that took up most of the top half of the cup on that side. On the bottom half of that side, there was also a silver decal that said "Sassenach" and the anti-possession symbol from Supernatural.

"Holy shit," I said as I took the cup from him. "This is...just. Wow. It's beautiful!"

"It's one of those Yeti mugs. It's 30 ounces. I figured that's probably sufficient enough for you," Tom said with a grin.

I turned the cup in my hands in complete awe. "It's...it's perfect, Tom. Really. I absolutely love it." I stood on tip toe and kissed him softly. "Thank you."

"That is an awesome mug," Chris said, taking it from my hands to look at it. "Evie to a T. Did you get that for her for Christmas?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah. Um actually..." He reached back toward the counter and pulled another mug out of the bag and handed it to Chris.

It was another huge tumbler like mine, but Chris's was decked out in Captain America's colors, glittery and all layered on the bottom of the cup and then the rest was a dark glittery blue. At the top on one side of Chris's cup, I could see bright white cursive lettering that said "America's Ass", and I burst into hysterical laughter.

"That's so fucking great! Please use it today," I begged, laughing hard still.

Chris rolled his eyes and laughed. "Thanks, man." He hugged Tom. "I have something for you too, but we gotta get out of here. I'll give it to you later."

Tom nodded and grabbed his own tumbler of coffee. Tom looked adorable in his gray jeans and forest green sweater with his black boots.

I was wearing a red and green argyle Christmas sweater that fell off of one shoulder and a pair of dark wash jeans with black boots. Chris was wearing the men's version of the same sweater and a pair of jeans and black Nikes, and Dodger was wearing a sweater that matched ours.

Tom grinned at us. "You guys look ridiculously adorable."

"We know," Chris and I said together as we rushed around grabbing presents to pack up into the car.

We had decided we would exchange gifts between each other later on when we got back home.

We made it to Lisa and Robert's a few minutes after 9, and the whole family was already there. Seb and Max pulled in right behind us and we all went in.

Christmas at the Evans's home was more amazing than I could have ever imagined.

Thankfully, there were no incidents this time. The kids got so many presents that I wasn't quite sure how their parents were going to fit it all in their cars.

We had eaten so much food that by 2 pm, many of us had passed out in the living room on the floor watching 'A Christmas Story'.

Maybe about half an hour later, my phone rang and I rushed to answer it upstairs in Chris's old room so I wouldn't wake up anyone who was sleeping. It was my brother.

"Hey, Ian."

"Titi!! Cwistmas!!" Ana shrieked in my ear before Ian took the phone from her and laughed.

"She's been wanting to call you all day, and she took my phone from me and hit your picture. Merry Christmas, kid."

"Merry Christmas! Mom around?"

"She just conked out on the couch and Ana is crawling on to the couch with her to sleep too. Hang on."

I heard rustling over the phone and figured he was moving to a different room like I had.

"Okay, I'm back. Eve, Chris is really great. I really like him. The way he looks at you... Kid, I'm really happy for you. I'm guessing you're happy he finally put it out on Twitter so you don't have to hide it anymore in public and stuff."

"What are you talking about?"

Ian laughed. "You haven't looked at your phone all day?"

"No. It's been a really busy day here so I haven't looked at anything."

"Eve, go look at Twitter. I'll talk to you later, okay? Love you, kid."

"Love you too."

We hung up and I immediately connected to the wifi. I was flooded by thousands of notifications on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

I went to Twitter first and found that I had thousands of new followers. I went to Chris's page and looked at his tweets.

'Merry Christmas to me. I want you all to meet Evie. We've been dating for a few months, but have mostly hid it so our lives would remain private. But I'm done hiding. I want everyone to know that this is the woman that I love.' With it was a picture of him and I at the Boston Aquarium that one of the staff members had taken where I was staring in awe at the sharks swimming around the tunnel. Chris was staring too, but at me. The smile on his face spoke volumes. I had never seen this picture of us, but the love I saw radiating off his face, even back then, reassured me of everything I felt for him.

The first comment I saw was, 'I would pay for someone to look at me the way you're looking at her. Congratulations. I'm glad you found someone that makes you feel that way.' A smile crossed my face and I liked Chris's tweet and the comment.

Then I realized that Chris had actually made a thread.

The next tweet read, 'This is how we met. From the moment I saw her early on in the day, I knew I had to talk to her. Eventually, I saved her from a group of Hobbits and the rest is history. I hid my true identity at first, wanting her to get to know the real me before she found out who I was. I'm not proud of it. I'm just glad she's stuck with me on this wild ride so far.' With that tweet was a picture of us at comic con on the first day. It was the one that the photographer took of him dipping me and us both laughing.

I smiled as I kept looking at the thread. The next one was a picture I never even knew he had taken of me. It was the first weekend I stayed at his house and I was sitting on the swing on his deck with Dodger. I was very clearly dressed in his clothes, the sweatshirt hood pulled up, but it was clear that it was me from the side of my face that was showing. Dodger was laying on my legs that were stretched out on the swing and his head was on my chest as he looked up at me. I was hugging him to me and looking down at him.

I remembered the moment well because I had kissed his wet nose and then I had laughed because he sneezed on me.

Chris had caught us moments after and there was a smile on my face as I looked down at the cutest dog in the world. The backyard was misty with the cold of the morning, and the sky was bright with colors from the morning light. It was a breathtaking picture.

'This right here...this picture right here was something I caught after a morning run. She had just met Dodger the day before, and he had instantly fallen for her. This moment that I caught on camera was the very moment I knew I loved her. It hit me like a fucking ton of bricks. Like a shot through the heart. I knew I loved this woman, and it scared the shit out of me. It was so early in our relationship so I didn't tell her right away, but she knows now.'

Tears came to my eyes at his words. I had no idea that he had fallen for me so early on, and it made my heart flutter with pure happiness.

The next and last set of pictures were more pictures I never saw before. It was at the top of the Empire State Building on my birthday weekend with the beautiful lit New York skyline in the background. The first picture was of us kissing and the second was us staring at each other and smiling like complete goofs. This tweet said, 'So now you all know about Evie and I. I'm glad it's out in the open and that I could shout it from rooftops if I wanted to. I love you, Evie.'

He had tagged me in everything, and I was still getting tons and tons of notifications about new followers and comments. I was pleasantly surprised that almost every comment I read was positive. People had made their funny memes and gifs of Chris as they always did. My favorite was the one where he had been holding up a white board in an interview to answer a question and someone had changed it to say 'I love you, Evie', and I laughed.

I looked at Instagram next, and found that my cosplay page had a shit ton of new followers. One girl had even DMed me saying, "Hi! I was the girl at comic con that told you he looked like Chris Evans! I knew it was him! I'm so happy for you! Can't wait to see your relationship grow."

I made sure to follow her on both my cosplay page and my personal page. People had found my personal page too, but that was set to private so I had to approve followers on there. I didn't want to go through all of it now. Chris had put all the same posts on Instagram and most people were flooding us with well wishes and Merry Christmases. I went to Facebook next and was thankful that I had it set to very private so people could not see much on my page or friend request me. Chris had a more public page and had posted the same things on there and tagged me, but Facebook always seemed to bring the worst out in people. I stopped reading after the third, 'Wow didn't know you liked your girls that thick' comment and rolled my eyes. People were always going to be jerks.

But I didn't care. I was ridiculously happy and wouldn't let some jerks ruin it.

When I went back downstairs, everyone was slowly waking up from their food comas...to get even more food.

"Hey," Chris said groggily as I curled up on his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. "Where did you go?"

"To talk to Ian," I told him. "And to look at the thousands and thousands of notifications I have on all my social media pages."

He looked down at me. "Was it okay that I did that?"

"Of course, babe. Most people were even nice. Only saw a few comments about you dating a 'thick girl'."

Chris rolled his eyes. "You have to ignore the bad comments."

"I did. The good outweighed the bad by a lot. You got some really good pictures that I've never seen."

"I've been saving them for just this reason."

"You've been planning that for awhile?"

He nodded. "It's all true."

I kissed him. "I love you so much," I told them. "But you better send me every picture you have of us so I can post them myself too."

He laughed and leaned his forehead against mine. "Of course."

***

It was around 7 when Chris, Tom, Max, Seb, Dodger and I went back to his place so we could exchange gifts.

Lizzie and Mackie met us there and we all set out a bunch of desserts, coffee, and most importantly, alcohol.

Lizzie insisted on taking pictures of Chris, Dodger, and I together since we were matching. She thought it was the cutest thing ever.

We settled in to drink, eat, talk, laugh and open gifts.

It was Chris's turn to open gifts, and he saved mine for last. I had gotten him the two paintings like I had discussed with Tom. One was of Dodger, and the other was of him as Captain America. I had also decided to get him a joke t-shirt that had Cap's shield on the front and on the back it said 'America's Ass' with an arrow that pointed down toward his butt, a book of poems by Hermann Hesse since I know he liked his stuff, and a $100 gift certificate to get a new tattoo. He had been saying since we started dating that he wanted another, but never went. So now he had no excuse not to go. It was for a local shop in Boston that I had done my research on and they seemed like a great shop.

Everyone else had gotten him some joke stuff, especially Seb and Mackie. Tom had already given him his cup earlier which he showed everyone and they laughed really hard.

"Thanks, guys. It's all great." He turned to me. "Babe, I love all of it. Especially the pictures," Chris said, pulling me into a kiss. "Open yours." He pushed a small stack of presents to me.

I opened a small bag first....that held a gift certificate for $150 to the same tattoo place that I had gotten his at. I laughed. "Wow. We really think alike." He grinned at me and pushed the next one toward me. When I opened the next one, it was a letter. I was confused at first until I started reading it. "No way!" I shouted, throwing myself at him which caught him off guard and had both of us falling to the floor. I sat on his stomach as he laughed. "No way!"

"Oh my god, what is it?!" Max asked. "Tell us!"

I was so shocked I could barely speak. I got off of Chris and sat on the floor to look at the letter again.

"Um so I pulled some strings and got Eve and I invited to the Wonder Woman premiere in L.A. in the summer. The letter is from Gal," Chris explained.

"She said she can't wait to meet me and that she heard about my blue dress and hopes I wear it to the premiere," I said.

"Wow. You do realize that is the one woman Evie would leave you for, right?" Max asked with a laugh. "Are you insane?"

Chris laughed and rubbed his face. "Probably...but...I figured it would be a good surprise for Evie."

I rolled my eyes dramatically. "I mean, guys...first of all, Gal is married so..."

"Yeah, but dude, you can't tell me that if she left her husband tomorrow and you met her and she was like, 'Evie, you are so beautiful' in her crazy exotic voice that you wouldn't leave Chris," Max said, making Lizzie and me laugh.

"Okay, but like, guys...listen," I said, feeling pretty tipsy from the alcohol. I put my hands together like I was praying and leaned forward to whisper. "Even if Gal has the pussy of a goddess, I still fucking need that dick though," I said through fits of giggles.

Max spit out her drink that she had just taken and fell backwards laughing really hard. Lizzie was on the floor crying from laughing and suddenly launched herself toward the bathroom shouting that she was going to pee herself.

Once again, I had shocked Seb and Mackie enough that they were gaping at me, and Tom was smirking and chuckling as he took a drink from his beer. Chris had doubled over laughing and was wiping his eyes.

"Jesus Christ, Evie," Chris said. "I fucking love you."

"I know. I love you too." I took a swig of my drink. "I'm just sayin' I also love your dick," I added with a shrug which caused another bout of raucous laughter from everyone. When everyone calmed down, I went back to my presents.

The last present from Chris was another envelope, but he grabbed my hand before I could open it.

"So...I know you told me not to go overboard. But I kind of didn't listen, and I'm sorry. Please don't be mad," he said.

I raised my eyebrows at him and opened the envelope. It had tickets to both Harry Potter World and Disney in it. "Chris-"

"Don't be mad. I just...look. You said you've never been to Harry Potter world and that's literally like your favorite thing on the planet. And you've only been to Disney twice which is batshit crazy. So we're going. For 10 days. We leave on the 3rd and-"

I put my hand over his mouth and laughed. "Will you shut up so I can say thank you?" He finally stopped talking. "Thank you so much," I said, getting a little teary eyed. "I can't wait to go experience that with you by my side."

"That's 2 days after we move into our new place. No fair!" Max exclaimed, but she was mostly joking.

"Seb, Tom and I will help you move in. With that many of us it will be fine," Chris assured her.

I started opening presents again. Lizzie and Mackie got me a gift card to Hot Topic. Max had one of my favorite pictures of Chris and I from Thanksgiving framed for me and gave me a whole bunch of random fandom things that she knew I would love. I got to Tom's present next and it was in a big heavy box.

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at him questioningly.

"Open it," he told me.

I opened it and it was a set of all 7 Harry Potter books.

Tom pulled one out of the beautiful ornate wooden chest he had put them in and opened the cover to the first page. I gasped and grabbed it from him and then flipped a few more pages.

"Oh my god," I muttered and then quickly looked at all the rest of them. I kept saying 'oh my god' over and over under my breath.

"What is it?" Max asked, crawling toward me to look over my shoulder. "Oh fuck." She looked up at Tom in shock. "How did you do this?"

"What is it?" Chris asked, now really curious.

"They're...they're first editions. Signed by J.K. Rowling," I said, feeling like I was in complete shock. "How...?"

"Seriously....how?" Chris asked, just as shocked as he looked through the books.

"Researched pristine copies on ebay, and called in every favor I could to get Jo to sign them," Tom explained.

Tears were spilling from my eyes as I hugged a few of the books to my chest. "You...Tom-"

"Evie, don't cry," Tom said, pulling me into a hug.

I kissed his cheek and wiped my eyes. "I'm just..." I threw my hands in the air.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you at a loss for words," Seb said. "Usually you can't shut up."

I glared at Seb and threw my slipper at his head which he ducked from so it hit the couch. Dodger grabbed it and brought it back to me which made everyone laugh.

"Tom also got me this cool mug," I said, showing it to everyone. I turned back to Tom and squeezed his arm. "Thank you so much," I whispered to him. I'd thank him better later on...

"Can it be my turn now?" Max asked. She didn't wait for anyone to answer before she started tearing into her gifts.

Seb gave her a vacation to the Bahamas for the same week that Chris and I would be away. Mackie and Lizzie and Chris and Tom all got her random fandom stuff she liked, and I gave her a gift card for Ulta and a gift card for Pure Romance.

"What's Pure Romance?" Lizzie asked.

"Sex stuff," Max and I both said.

"Oh, I hope I got that," Lizzie said as she started opening her gifts.

I had gotten her just that so I was glad she was excited.

Her and Mackie opened their gifts and then it was Tom's turn. Chris gave him tickets to a future Patriots game telling him it was a damn shame he had never been to one yet which made me laugh. Men and sports...ugh. He saved the ones from me for last. I got him a painting of him as Loki from the same person who did the one for Chris. And I also gave him a gift certificate to get a tattoo.

"You keep saying you want to get your first one so....just go do it. No more excuses," I told him.

Tom laughed and looked at Chris and I. "Okay, but only if you two come with me for moral support.

"Deal," Chris and I said.

We sat around and gave Dodger his gifts which were all new toys. I had gotten him a new lion since he loved those the most.

Everything was cleaned up, and then Lizzie and Mackie looked at each other and I knew something was up.

"Um....so we have something to tell you guys," Mackie said.

My heart stopped for a minute until Lizzie's face broke out into a huge smile. Her hands had been in her pockets and when she pulled her left one back out, there was a ring on it. "We're engaged!" she shouted.

The screaming from our group could probably be heard all down the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo...I think this one is cute! What did you guys think??
> 
> I think Chris really did a good job with how he handled his social media posts. We all know that the happy little anonymous bubble couldn't have lasted forever.
> 
> Comments make me super HAPPY!!!!!


	36. Chapter 36: "I'm just so happy. This means everything to me."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Chris go on their vacation with an added guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!!! I think this one is cute. It's mostly just some fluff and filler. Hope you enjoy!!!

Chris, Tom and I were all exhausted by the time everyone left. After Mackie and Lizzie's announcement we had broken apart and the women went to one room while the men went to another. We all chatted for a while, but now it was past 1am.

I was so fucking tired I could barely talk normally, but Tom and Chris beckoned me to the living room with Dodger. 

I yawned and rubbed my eyes. "Guys, I can barely keep my eyes open. What's up?"

"We each have one more present for you," Chris said.

I looked at them both. "Is this sexual? Because I will literally kill you both."

They laughed and shook their heads.

"No it's not. Here," Tom said, handing me an envelope.

"Tom, are you crazy? You already gave me too much-"

"Just open it," he said with a laugh.

I opened it and there was just money in it. "What the hell?" I asked.

"It's the bet money from the party. You gave it back, and then I hid it in your makeup case. I'm guessing you found it because I found it in a cookie jar when I was packing up my kitchen. I told you...it's yours. Go get your butterfly covered up or whatever you want to do with it."

"But-"

"Eve, please for once just don't argue," Tom said.

"Okay," I whispered.

Both men raised an eyebrow at me.

"Just like that you're not gunna argue?" Chris asked. He glanced at Tom. "Dude, do you use Jedi mind tricks on her or something?"

"No, he doesn't. I'm just really tired and don't want to argue with you two about money anymore even though you went way way overboard for me for Christmas."

Chris rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Okay remember you said that when you open this." He handed me a small wrapped box.

I opened the paper and felt my heart race and a stampede of animals go through my stomach. It was a small jewelry box. A ring box.

Chris saw the panic on my face and the fact that my hands were shaking. He grabbed my face in his hands and got close to me to look in my eyes. "Hey, it's okay. It's not what you think so just relax."

I let out a big breath and laughed nervously. "Okay."

"Told you she would immediately think that," Tom muttered to Chris while I opened the box.

Inside of it was an absolutely beautiful ring. It was a Claddaugh ring but instead of the traditional hands holding the heart, the heart was in the middle of Celtic knots. The ring was silver, and the stone of the heart was a gorgeous opal that glimmered in the light. The crown that sat atop the heart had little tiny diamonds in it. But best of all, the band was engraved with one word... 'Sassenach'.

I put the ring on my right ring finger and it was a perfect fit. I faced the heart toward me, as you were supposed to do.

"Chris, it's...it's absolutely beautiful," I said, feeling tears come to my eyes. "How did you know that I have always wanted one of those rings?"

He blushed a little. "At comic con you kept looking at them at every jewelry vendor and trying them on. I didn't know what they were, but I described what they looked like to Max and she said it sounded like a Claddaugh ring. She sorta helped me pick it out only because I didn't know what type of metal you liked or what stone. And I knew I wanted to use an Outlander phrase since you love that show so much, but wasn't sure-"

I leaned up on my knees and kissed him so he would stop talking. "I love it. I really really love it." I leaned my forehead against his. "Thank you." I looked at them both. "You guys spoiled me way too much, and now I feel bad because..." I trailed off.

"My presents were perfect," Chris said. "Honestly, I love them and can't wait to hang up the pictures. I guess that's a hint I need to decorate more."

I laughed and kissed his jaw, rubbing my face against his and letting his beard tickle me. "Yes. Time to make this place home."

"I think I know what other pictures I want to put on the mantle," he told me.

Tom watched us both with a smile on his face. "I will have to decorate my apartment too once it's all ready. And I can't wait for us all to go get tattoos."

"When will your apartment be ready?" I asked, sitting myself between Chris's legs and leaning my back against his chest.

"I moved my stuff in, but haven't set anything up because I'm having it painted and getting the carpets ripped up to put wood flooring in. It should be ready in maybe a week. That's why I've been staying with Chris."

I nodded and felt my eyes starting to droop closed. "Is Tom going to watch Dodger while we're away?" I asked Chris.

Chris kissed the side of my head gently. "No, baby. Ma is. Tom actually is um...going to come with us. If that's okay with you?"

I smiled tiredly. "I get the 2 of you alone in a hotel room for 10 days? Sounds like a really good trip to me."

I fell asleep to the sound of them laughing.

***

New Year's came and went, and on New Year's Day, all of us moved Max and me into our new house. Mackie and Lizzie had even shown up too, so in 2 days time our house was almost perfect.

Today was the day that Tom, Chris and I were going away.

Mackie and Lizzie actually decided to go to the Bahamas with Seb and Max so we were all going to get a break from life for a little bit.

We flew into Florida on Friday and rented a car to take us to our hotel. We spent the rest of Friday going through Epcot at Disney, the second day at MGM, and the 3rd day at Magic Kingdom. So far we were having a lot of fun. It wasn't overly crowded since it was just after the holidays. The guys got recognized a lot, but most people actually left us be except for a few really excited fans who very nicely asked for pictures and autographs. Some people even recognized me which was a shock. A few even asked for pictures with both Chris and me.

It was now the 4th day of our vacation and we were going to spend it in Magic Kingdom again since the park was so big. Chris had managed to get us dinner reservations at Belle's castle which I literally cried about when he told me the news.

There was only one problem.

I was feeling completely and utterly miserable. I had forgotten to go right to the next birth control pack to skip my period for this week. I had planned on skipping it, but too much had been going on and I had forgotten.

Currently, I was experiencing pretty bad cramps. My doctor had told me that for the most part my bad cramps would dissipate because of being on the pill, but that sometimes they would be bad again.

And of course this had to be a bad month.

I had locked myself in the bathroom when the cramps started to hit, and I had been curled up in a ball ever since...probably for about 20 minutes.

Tom and Chris thought I was just getting ready which is why they hadn't disturbed me yet.

I had thankfully found a heating pad in the linen closet and had it pressed against my body as I tried to figure out what to do. Normally, when I got like this, I usually just curled up in bed all day and took some painkillers. But I couldn't do that while we were on vacation! I didn't want to miss Disney!

I was just about to call my doctor's office to see what I could possibly do for some relief when there was a knock on the door.

"Evie?" It was Tom.

"Yeah?"

"Is everything okay? We haven't even heard the shower turn on."

I bit my lip and put the heating pad down to crawl to the door and unlock it. He opened the door as I was crawling back to my spot with the heating pad.

"Uh oh," he said, watching me shove the heating pad against my abdomen and then hug my knees to my chest.

"What do you mean 'uh oh'?" Chris said and then the two of them walked in. "Oh, shit. Uh oh."

"Yeah," I said, wincing in pain. "It currently feels like the Hulk is Hulk-smashing my uterus with his fist."

"Jesus Christ," Chris said, sitting on the floor in front of me. "What can I do?"

I leaned my head back against the sink. "I don't know. I don't know what to do. I was just going to call my doctor."

Tom handed me my phone from where it sat on the sink and then he sat on the closed toilet seat.

I called my doctor's office and was put on hold. Usually I would have to wait for her to call me back, but since this was kind of a pressing issue, she got right on the phone with me after a few minutes.

"Hey, Dr. Powell."

"Evelyn, are you okay? The nurse told me to get on with you right away."

"So this is one of those bad cramp months. I'm currently curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor with a heating pad and want to cry." I paused. "And I'm on vacation in Disney."

"Bleeding yet?"

"Yes. Normal flow. Not heavy."

"You probably have a bad clot and just have to wait for it to pass. Tylenol isn't helping?"

"I didn't take it yet because I've been on the floor."

"Okay, you need to take 4, Eve. Take 4 every 6 hours until the cramps dissipate."

"What else?" I asked, watching Chris already going to grab my tylenol and a water for me.

She was quiet for a minute. "Look, I know you want to just stay in bed but moving around will help. You're on vacation with your boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, look I know this is going to sound nuts, but have sex."

"What?" My voice sounded skeptical even to my own ears.

"I know that it sounds gross. But it honestly helps. Orgasm helps your body release endorphins to help with the pain. It also helps your uterus contract more to get the contents out faster."

I was silent for a minute. "Are you sure?"

"It doesn't work for everyone, but isn't it worth a try so you can at least enjoy your vacation and not be curled up on the floor all day?"

"Good point."

"Okay. If your cramps don't go away in 3 days, you need to call me back."

"Thanks, Dr. Powell," I said.

"No problem. Good luck and have fun on your vacation!"

I hung up with her and took the tylenol and water from Chris. I took 4 like she instructed me to.

"What else did she tell you?" Tom asked.

"She told me to have sex."

"What?" they both said.

I shrugged. "She said that for some women it helps. Apparently orgasm helps the uterus contract and get the contents out faster and that sex also releases endorphins which helps with the pain. Sorry...I know that sounds gross."

"It's not gross," Chris disagreed.

"It kind of is," I said. "But...we have a tub?"

Tom was already turning the water on to the big jacuzzi tub. "The tub will help relax you anyway."

"We're really doing this? You guys just...want to have sex with me while I'm on my period. No hesitations?"

"Why would we hesitate?" Tom asked.

"Yeah, especially if it will make you feel better," Chris said.

He had a point...

***

Thankfully, sex HAD helped. I was shocked. It was now 2 days later and my cramps had finally gone away. We were on the 7th day of our vacation, and today we were finally going to Harry Potter World.

My period was a little heavy today still, but nothing that a tampon couldn't handle as long as I brought more with me as back up.

I was dressed in a yellow plaid Hufflepuff skirt that had suspenders along with a pair of bike shorts underneath, an off the shoulder black Hufflepuff shirt, knee high black socks with 2 yellows stripes at the top, and my custom Harry Potter Vans. I had on the Hufflepuff jewelry that I had made myself, and my hair was pulled back into a Hufflepuff scrunchy.

"Wow," Tom said, chuckling at me. "You..."

"If the words 'look incredible' don't come out of your mouth right now...I'm going to fight you," I said to him as I twirled for them in the hotel room.

Tom laughed. "You do look incredible but now I feel terribly unprepared," he said, pointing to his jeans and plain gray t-shirt.

"We'll get you some gear once we get you sorted," I told him, and my eyes moved to Chris who had on jeans, his own yellow Hufflepuff t-shirt, and his own pair of custom vans. I grinned at him. "Your Vans came out so cool. I love that you did your own."

"How did you know Chris was a Hufflepuff?" Tom asked as we left the hotel and made our way to Universal.

"It's painstakingly obvious. But I made him take a quiz to be sure."

"Why can't you tell me what house I'm in?" Tom asked.

"Honestly? You're harder to place. You are fiercely loyal, but you're also very intelligent and book smart. You could very well be Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff."

He thought about it and was quiet the rest of the way to the park.

My knee was bouncing with excitement.

By the time we got to the park and actually walked up to it, I was in tears.

"Babe," Chris said with a laugh, wiping my eyes.

"It's the hormones," I said, wiping my eyes again. "I'm just so happy. This means everything to me."

Chris kissed my lips gently. "Let's go get you your Hogwarts letter."

***

We spent days 7, 8, and 9 in Harry Potter World. I stopped arguing about Chris spending money on me after an hour because I just couldn't help myself.

Tom got sorted into Huffelpuff! I really wasn't surprised at all. I had him take a test to see what percentage of each house he was, and he was literally 45% Hufflepuff, 38% Ravenclaw, 10% Gryffindor and 7% Slytherin. I had been right and he was mostly Huffelpuff and Ravenclaw.

It was now the last day of our vacation...well, actually tomorrow was but we were flying out so early it didn't matter.

I had to buy a bathing suit specially for this day because Chris said I needed one for what he had planned for us. I had bought a regular blue tankini and put a pair of matching blue swim shorts over the bottoms.

We drove over to Sea World, and spent a while walking around and looking at the animals. I didn't feel like going to any of the shows or on the rides, but I did enjoy looking at the animals.

After a while, we left and went somewhere else...and I realized it was a place where you could swim with Dolphins.

"Really?" I asked. "You know I love Dolphins."

"And penguins. But Dolphins are better to swim with," Tom said with a laugh.

So that's how we spent the rest of our last day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments? Let me know what you're thinking!
> 
> How do you feel about Tom being in the mix so much?
> 
> Also...just to forewarn you...there will be a bit of a time jump in the next chapter. It's a couple of months but...well you'll see.


	37. Chapter 37: Everything was going really well, and I was finally feeling happier than I've felt in a long time.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie, Chris and Tom finish their vacation. We fast forward a few months to March and we see how Evie is doing with her new job while Chris and Tom are both away filming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS! This is REALLY important!! I am updating another chapter a few minutes after posting this one because if I leave you guys on this cliffhanger I know without a doubt you're going to kill me.
> 
> SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU READ 37 AND 38!!!
> 
> Also...DISCLAIMER...this may surprise you but I am indeed NOT a medical professional. There's going to be some stuff happening, and I KNOW it can't all be accurate but this is a STORY and it is FICTION for a reason. PLEASEE don't get mad if something isn't accurate with the medical stuff. I tried to do some research but I'm also doing a lot of guesswork and dramatizing too.
> 
> ANYWAYS...Sorry if that sounded bitchy lol. I hope you're all doing well and that you're safe! Stuff seems to be going crazy again...

We made it back to the hotel around 8. We had already eaten, but I was in desperate need of a shower. I had gotten a lot of sun today and knew I was just a little bit burnt.

The guys joined me in the big shower, and I stood under the water watching them talk.

The two of them were even more at ease with each other. I didn't think that was even possible, but there was just a comfort between them. Like they knew what the other one was going to do or say before they did it.

I was going to miss this a lot.

"Do we have to go back?"

They both looked at me. "Yeah we do, babe. Your new job starts next week," Chris said.

I pouted at them. "I guess I'm just enjoying the three of us spending all this time together separately from everyone else."

Tom smiled and pulled me into his arms. "Me too. But when we go back we'll still all spend time together when we can."

I smiled softly at him. "And we can go get our tattoos," I said.

"Yeah when our sunburn goes away," Chris said with a laugh.

We finished showering, and dried off and then got into bed without bothering to put clothes on. My period was thankfully over otherwise I would definitely not do this.

We'd sort of come up with this new nightly tradition while we were away. Every night, the three of us would get into bed, and Chris and I would listen to Tom read us the first Harry Potter book.

I had been begging for Tom to read it out loud for me because I really thought he should narrate the whole series on audio. Chris had agreed and we cornered him the first night of vacation with the first book. We were just doing a chapter per night for now, but man did I love hearing Tom read it. His voice was just so...I couldn't describe how wonderful his voice was.

I laid on my side with Chris spooning me from behind as we listened to him read the 10th chapter of the book.

" _'But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them'_ ," Tom said and then closed the book. He looked over at the two of us and smiled. "You know, this is a little bit unfair. I think you two should read something as well."

"We could take turns," Chris suggested. "One night you read some Harry Potter, another night I read something different. Then Evie can read something else."

"That will take forever," Tom said, putting the book down on the bedside table and laughing. "We could all just take turns reading chapters of Harry Potter."

I pouted at him. "But I really like YOU reading Harry Potter."

"Me too," Chris admitted. "You're good at it. Plus the British accent and all."

"And you do all of the voices really well," I pointed out.

Tom rolled his eyes dramatically at us and turned on to his stomach and propped himself up to look at us. "Fine. What book are you comfortable reading out loud?" he asked us both.

"Wandering by Hermann Hesse," Chris answered immediately and without hesitation.

"Of course. You were posting about that one for quite awhile," Tom said.

"It was really good," Chris said. "I'd love to read it to you both."

"Deal," I said, and then thought about my book. "The Princess Bride?" I offered.

"But that's a movie..." Chris asked.

"It's a book too. A very excellent book."

"I've seen the movie. It is a classic," Chris agreed. "But if you love the book, then by all means we can do that one."

"I've never read the book either...or seen the movie," Tom admitted, making me gasp.

"What! We have to watch it once we get back."

"That sounds good to me," Tom said with a smile before leaning in to kiss me.

***

**Fast Forward to the middle of March**

It had been 2 months since Max and I started our new jobs at Northeastern University, and the two of us couldn't be happier about the transition. Our jobs were fantastic, our coworkers were amazing, and there were so many great benefits to our jobs. We got to have most of the summers off, and only had to work for about 3 weeks during the summer. We could choose any 3 weeks we wanted...which was great since we already had so many plans for the summer.

Mackie and Lizzie were going to get married at the end of June, and then we already knew that right after that we were going to rent a house at the Jersey Shore for a few weeks. Mackie and Lizzie were getting married on the beach, flying to Greece for a week, and then were going to come spend time with us at the Jersey Shore.

Why the Jersey Shore and not Massachusetts?

Chris knew I loved Point Pleasant and the surrounding areas so he convinced everyone to vacation there this summer and next summer we could pick somewhere else. Plus that's where Mackie and Lizzie decided to get married anyways so...

Chris and I were doing fantastic. Our relationship was steadily getting stronger and stronger, and I was starting to get a little less stubborn.

Imagine that...

Tom still joined us in bed sometimes, but Chris and I still spent a lot of time together alone since Tom was now starting to film for Marvel again.

Chris also was gone filming for his a movie and had been gone about a month.

It sucked, but I got to see him once since he left so it wasn't terrible. We talked all the time and video chatted. I was mostly staying at his house with Dodger so his mom didn't have to watch him, and sometimes I would bring Dodger to mine and Max's place when I knew she was going to be around for the weekend. Her and Seb had been spending a lot more time together now that they were finally living in the same city.

Everything was going really well, and I was finally feeling happier than I've felt in a long time.

***

March in Boston was cold and dreary. Most days were very cold and snowy, but there were a few days where it warmed up but would be cloudy and rainy which was hell with the snow.

Since January, I had lost another 15 pounds, making my total weight loss 23 pounds! In part this had been because I had decided to start taking Dodger on walks. It was hard with all of the ice, but we stuck to the shovelled walkways, and I put little boots on his feet to help protect them from the salt.

He HATED the boots at first, but he had gotten used to them. Dodger was my little buddy, and I really loved this dog so dang much.

Anyway, the walking definitely helped with the weight loss for sure.

This was a week where I was mostly staying at Chris's house with Dodger because Max was with Seb all week at our house. I didn't mind. It was kind of lonely without Chris around, but him and Tom called me quite regularly to help keep me company.

Chris's mom Lisa also dropped by sometimes to check on me and see how Dodger was doing.

But today, I just wasn't feeling well. It was Friday, and I had gone to work, but just kept feeling nauseous and generally crappy. I was also experiencing some pain in my abdomen, but I knew I wasn't too far off from getting my period, so I thought maybe it was just getting some symptoms from that.

My boss had sent me home at lunch time when she found out I wasn't feeling well.

I had gone straight to Chris's and let Dodger out, not feeling up to taking him on a walk. When he got back in, I felt a shooting pain go through my abdomen and doubled over in pain.

"Fuck!" I yelled, running to Chris's bathroom on the main floor and shutting the door seconds before I fell to the ground and threw up in the toilet.

I kept throwing up, holding my stomach as pain shot through me. I threw up until I was nearly dizzy with the exertion.

Dodger was whining at the bathroom door, and I could hear him scratching at it, but I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything except sit there and cry in pain and dry heave once I had nothing left to throw up in me.

I didn't even have my phone with me! I knew where it was...it was on the kitchen counter. I'd never be able to get to it from here.

Oh god...

I had never felt this much pain before.

I was getting dizzier and dizzier, and then I felt something trickling down my leg and thought I peed myself. But when I looked down, I saw my light colored jeans darkened with blood and knew something was really wrong.

And I could do nothing to help myself as I passed out on the floor of Chris's bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DON'T KILL ME!!
> 
> I am immediately posting the next chapter in a few minutes...I PROMISE!
> 
> PLEASEEEE leave some comments on this one first though so I know how you liked it!


	38. Chapter 38: Changing point of views

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris is very worried about Evie and contacts Max and Seb. Seb finds Evie, Max arrives, and then Evie wakes up in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ATTENTION: I updated two chapters of this today so PLEASE make sure you read 37 before this one!!! Or you will be really confused.
> 
> Anyway...this one sort of ends a little cliffhanger-y too...I'm sorry in advance. I can't update 3 chapters of this today because I'm starting to run out of chapters I have pre-written for this...
> 
> Anyway...hope you enjoy! I know this is a lot of drama...
> 
> Again...SORRY!

**Chris's Point of View**

Evie was supposed to call him on her lunch break at work, but she had never called. Now it was 4, and he couldn't get in touch with her.

He tried not to panic. Maybe she'd gotten busy at work. Maybe she had a bad day and didn't want to talk.

He was probably being silly but...

Chris called Max and she answered on the 3rd ring. She was whispering so he knew she was still at work.

"Chris, what's up? I can't really talk."

"Is everything okay with Evie? I haven't heard from her and she usually at least texts me. Maybe I'm just being paranoid...but-"

Max cut Chris off. "Chris, Evie left work hours ago. Our boss sent her home because she wasn't feeling well. Have you tried calling her?"

"She hasn't answered any of my texts or calls."

Max was silent for a second. "My boss said Evie said she didn't feel well and felt nauseous." Max cursed low under her breath. "Chris, I have a really bad feeling."

"Me too," Chris admitted. "I'll get Seb to go check on her. He has a key."

"Okay. I'm going to see if I can leave. I'm really worried," Max told him.

They got off the phone and Chris immediately called Seb to ask him to check on Evie.

After Seb promised to go check on her, Chris tried to call her a bunch more times with no luck.

Chris got called back to set, but he could barely concentrate.

**Seb's Point of View**

Seb pulled into Chris's driveway, and immediately knew something was off when he got out of the car. He could hear Dodger barking a weird high pitched bark that he had never heard before. It was frantic and very very loud. Seb got into the house as fast as he could, and was shocked when Dodger barked almost in a vicious manner and grabbed the sleeve of his jacket with his teeth, trying to drag him across the house.

"Bud, it's okay," Seb said. "Where is she?" He knew that Dodger knew something was very wrong.

Dodger led Seb to Chris's bathroom and the dog whined and cried pitifully at the door before scratching at it. Seb tried the knob, but of course it was locked.

"Fuck," he cursed softly. He tried to find something to open it, but Dodger started barking frantically at him when he tried to walk away from the door.

"Alright, alright. Watch out," Seb muttered, taking out a credit card from his wallet and sliding it against the door jam to open the lock. He didn't think he could break the door in very easily.

The door opened seconds later, and Seb nearly tripped on Dodger who tried to race him into the bathroom.

Evie was on the floor covered in vomit, and Seb felt his blood run cold when he saw a small puddle of blood beneath her.

"Fuck!" he yelled, his fingers shaking as he tried to dial 911 on his phone. He fell to his knees next to Evie and grabbed her into his arms as he explained to the 911 operator what happened and where to send the ambulance to. The woman asked him to feel for a pulse, which he did and Evie thankfully did have a pulse. The operator told him help was on the way, and he got off the phone with her.

Seb held Evie's limp body against him and grabbed a wash cloth off the edge of the sink and wet it before wiping her face. "Evie, wake up. Wake up...please wake up," he begged.

**Max's Point of View**

Max had left work minutes after talking to Chris and headed straight for Chris's house, the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach getting stronger and stronger.

As she pulled down Chris's street, an ambulance flew past her.

"Oh, god," Max cried, watching the ambulance pull into Chris's driveway.

She raced to park her car on the street so it wouldn't be in the way of the ambulance and ran into Chris's house.

Dodger was barking at the strangers in his house, and Max ran in and saw the paramedics already going into the bathroom and taking Evie's limp body from Seb's arms.

They were asking Seb all kinds of questions, none of which he knew the answers to.

"Is she allergic to anything?" one asked.

"No," Max answered. "No known allergies. She does have bad asthma. She was also diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks."

Another paramedic was strapping her to a gurney and checking her vitals.

"Is there any chance she could be pregnant?"

Max blinked at them. "Um...no I don't think so. She's on the pill... but..."

"But she is sexually active?"

"Yes," Max answered, and felt her heart squeeze in her chest.

Dodger was barking at the paramedics again, and Max grabbed his collar. She didn't think he would bite anyone, but he was acting very protective of Evie right now and he needed to get out of the way so they could get her in the ambulance.

"Go with her," Seb told Max and then took over grabbing Dodger's collar. "I'll take care of Dodger and meet you there. I'll call Chris too. Call her mom!" he yelled to Max as she ran out with the paramedics pushing Evie.

Fuck, Max thought. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

She was so worried about her best friend. Once Evie was strapped in, they took off and Max grabbed Evie's hand, feeling that her skin was cold and clammy.

She prayed her best friend would be okay.

**Back to Evie's Point of View**

I felt my body slowly waking up and knew right away something was off. I remembered being at work and then going home sick.

I remembered being in a lot of pain and running for the bathroom. I remembered throwing up a lot and hearing Dodger whine and bark, but then nothing.

I knew I was in a hospital just from hearing the sounds of the machines hooked up to me.

My eyes opened to bright light, and I shut them again quickly. I tried to raise my right hand up to rub my eyes, but couldn't move my arm much.

"Shit," I cursed softly, my throat dry as anything and my voice hoarse.

The low murmuring voices I heard suddenly stopped.

"Hey, Evie. You're in the hospital, sweetie. Be careful of your right arm. You're hooked up to all kinds of machines."

It was Chris's mom. I opened my eyes more slowly this time and used my left hand to rub my face. "Where's the remote for the bed? I want to sit up more. And where's Dodger? Is he okay? He was barking and crying."

Lisa helped me by getting the remote and hit the button to get me into a better position. "Sweetheart, Dodger's fine. Scott is taking care of him," she explained as she tried to help me get some pillows behind my back, but I cried out when pain went up my right side.

The door opened and Chris came in like a sudden storm crashing through. His hair was cut shorter than when he had left, and it was sticking straight up in all directions. His clothes were wrinkled, there were dark circles under his eyes, and he looked angry.

"Ma," he snapped. "Be careful. You're hurting her."

Lisa blinked at her son, an eyebrow raised. He never snapped at her.

"Babe, it's okay. She was trying to help me," I defended her.

She squeezed my hand. "He's just cranky because he hasn't slept. I'm going to leave you two alone," she said, bending down to kiss my cheek before leaving.

Chris's face softened as she passed by him, and she patted his chest gently before leaving the room.

I was holding my side with my left hand, and Chris came forward to hit the button for the nurse.

"What the hell happened?" I asked him, swallowing past the dryness in my throat.

Chris got me a cup of water and handed it to me. I drank the small cup slowly, but it barely helped. "Seb found you in the bathroom unconscious, covered in vomit, and with blood on your pants and the floor," he choked out. I looked at his face and saw he was barely holding it together.

"But-"

I was cut off by a nurse and a doctor coming in together. The nurse introduced herself as Laura, and the doctor introduced herself as Dr. Monahan.

"Do you remember anything from yesterday?" Doctor Monahan asked as they checked my vitals.

"Yesterday? Wait what day is it?" I asked, feeling confused.

"It's 3 am Saturday morning. You had a pretty rough day yesterday," she replied.

"I wasn't feeling well at work. I had some pain in my abdomen, but I thought maybe it was just cramps and that I was pmsing. Sometimes I get back pain too, and I did feel some back pain. Sometimes I also get nauseous so I didn't think much of it. I went home and I remember getting to the bathroom and throwing up....I threw up a lot. I got dizzy...and then I saw blood and I think I passed out."

When they were sure all of my vitals were good, the nurse helped prop me up a little better and got me some more water and left. Dr. Monahan stayed behind, pulling a chair up to the bed next to me.

Chris was in a chair on the other side of the bed, and he grabbed my left hand in his.

Dr. Monahan looked from him to me and then back to me. "Do you want him here for this?"

Chris actually glared at her and snapped, "You have told me nothing about what's going on since I got here an hour ago."

"Why not?" I gasped.

"He isn't on your emergency contact forms. He's not a blood relative-"

"He's my BOYFRIEND, and I'll change the fucking forms as soon as I get out of this goddamn bed," I seethed. Chris had been here for an hour and no one had told him jack shit. No wonder he was barely holding it together.

Dr. Monahan sighed, took off her glasses and rubbed her face before putting them back on. "I'm sorry. I know this has been crazy." She paused and Chris and I were silent. "Were you having any other symptoms this week that maybe you just didn't piece together that something was off?"

I let go of Chris's hand to take another drink of water and thought about it. "Umm...I mean I had a little abdominal pain and a little back pain but nothing I was ready to come to the E.R. over. I had some diarrhea from what seemed out of nowhere, but I thought it was just something I ate. What happened?"

"So your friend found you passed out and called 911 immediately. Based on the vomiting we thought maybe you could be pregnant...but then there was the blood-"

"Oh, god," I squeezed Chris's hand tight in mine and he swallowed hard. "Did I have a miscarriage?"

She shook her head. "No, we found no signs you were pregnant. So then we went based on symptoms. You were holding your right side when they found you, and the vomiting led us to believe you needed to have your appendix out. We got you in surgery immediately, and took your appendix out, but the crazy part was that it didn't look like a typical appendix that would have to be removed."

"Hold on. So my appendix was removed...but it didn't need to be?"

She shook her head. "Again, all signs were pointing toward your appendix having to be removed. I sent some labs off to see just in case, but that wasn't what was causing your symptoms."

"That doesn't explain the blood," Chris pointed out. "Which from what Seb told me, was not a normal amount of blood. Not a normal amount of menstrual blood, anyway, so what the hell?" he asked.

Dr. Monahan looked from him to me again. "Have you typically suffered from bad cramps?"

"Yes," I told her. "But not bad enough that my gynecologist was concerned."

"You had a large cyst on your right ovary that ruptured, hence the source of the severe pain and bleeding. There was some evidence of smaller cysts in the past rupturing...which they were small enough that you probably just wrote it off as cramps."

"How big of a cyst?"

"Size of a golf ball."

"Shit," Chris and I said at once. We looked at each other and he leaned down to kiss the knuckles of my left hand gently.

Dr. Monahan smiled softly at us. "Look, there was...some significant amount of damage to your ovary because of the cyst. We, unfortunately, had to remove it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Hiding behind a mountain of pillows*
> 
> I SAID I WAS SORRY!
> 
> Comments?
> 
> Don't forget...I love all of you.


	39. Chapter 39: "This doesn't change anything."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie's doctor gives her more information on what happened, and everyone visits her in her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Once again...remember I am not a medical professional and sort of winging some of this!
> 
> Also guys...I hate to do this but I have to switch to posting once a week now. I'm running out of stuff to post and have to pull back a little bit so I can write some more.
> 
> I'm sorry! I know that is disappointing...but I don't want to post until I run out and then go months between posting. I don't think you guys would appreciate that very much!
> 
> So...once a week it is! Most likely I will be posting on Fridays unless something else comes up.
> 
> Again...sorry, guys!

I felt like the fucking floor opened up and swallowed me fucking whole. "What?"

She squeezed my leg beneath the blanket. "I'm sorry. I did what I could but..."

I let go of Chris's hand and started fiddling with the strings on the blankets. My hand was shaking, and I felt tears coming to my eyes because I knew what this meant. "Um..." I started, but then stopped and took a deep breath and leaned my head back against my pillows, feeling tears escape the corners of my eyes.

"Hey, hey," Chris said softly, standing up to grasp my face with his hands. "This doesn't change anything," he muttered softly to me.

"Yes it does!" I exclaimed, not quite yelling since my voice was so hoarse. I looked back at Dr. Monahan. "How hard is it going to be for me now to get pregnant when I'm ready to have kids?"

"Wait, wait, wait," Dr. Monahan said, holding her hand up. "Don't freak out about this. Having one ovary isn't really going to significantly impact your chance of having kids. You still have one ovary. You'll still have a menstrual cycle. I saw no signs of cysts on your other ovary. Let's not get freaked out about infertility yet because I really think you'll be fine when you do want to get pregnant."

Chris sat back in the chair and sighed with relief, and I felt some of the tension go out of my body.

We hadn't discussed kids much...aside from the fact that we did want kids. But we hadn't had any serious talks about it yet.

I frowned at Dr. Monahan again though. "So wait a minute though. What does a cyst bursting have to do with vomiting and diarrhea?"

"Those symptoms were because you needed to have your gallbladder out. Just an unfortunate coincidence the two things sort of happened at the same time. I spoke with your mom over the phone and that sort of seems like a hereditary thing. Your grandmother had to have her gallbladder out and your mom did as well." She stood up and adjusted something on my IV stand. "So you're gunna have a longer recovery than normal since you got cut open in a few different places. You've got a few small incisions on your upper right side, a bigger incision on your right lower abdomen and then another even lower for your ovary. You've got about maybe 30ish stitches total. Do you feel like you're in pain?" she asked.

I shrugged my left shoulder. "A little but not like yesterday. How long until I can get out of here?"

"Depends on how you feel throughout the rest of today. You definitely need more sleep, but if you're feeling up to it I know there are a bunch of people out there who want to see you. The rules are two at a time though," she said more to Chris than to me.

He nodded. "I want to talk to her first and then I'll let everyone know."

"When you're done with visitors, page the nurse so we can put some pain meds in there for you, okay?"

I nodded and she left the room. I looked over at Chris, and when the door shut he slumped in the chair and finally let himself fall apart a little bit.

Chris scooted toward me and laid his head on my lap, his right hand clasping my left tightly. His left hand was rubbing up and down my legs, and I heard a few sniffles from him.

I carefully moved my right hand just enough to stroke his messy hair. "I'm okay."

"I was so scared, Evie. After Seb called 911 he called me and when he said how he found you... I panicked. I left in the middle of set, but they understood and told me to go. I took the first plane here I could get," he explained. "I got in after midnight and got here almost an hour and a half ago. Your mom will be here any minute. I booked her the first flight out but it got delayed by weather. She landed 20 minutes ago and I sent dad to go get her."

My heart constricted in my chest. "Thank you for doing that," I choked out.

He sat up and I wiped at his face. "Baby, you were on the bathroom floor for hours before Seb found you. I got worried when you didn't call on lunch and then I kept trying to call or text and you didn't answer. I called Max and she said you went home, and I got this instant bad feeling. She got it too and left work right away. But in the meantime I asked Seb to check on you. He heard Dodger barking from outside. He said he'd never heard such frantic barking before. He got in and Dodger bit his jacket and dragged him to the bathroom."

My throat got tight with emotion. "I remember hearing him barking and crying outside the door, but I couldn't move and then I blacked out. He must have barked for hours."

Chris smiled at me through the tears. "Dodge was really upset when the paramedics came. He kept trying to intervene and get to you. He knew you were hurt."

I half sobbed, half laughed. "I wish I could see him."

Chris grinned wider then. "Well, then I've got a great surprise for you because he's here. He's out there with Scott and everyone else."

I wiped my face and laughed. "How?"

"I got him certified to be a therapy dog not long after I adopted him. When I go visit kids at the hospital in costume or out of costume, I bring him if it's a unit where the kids can be around dogs. It really comforts them." He stopped talking and leaned down to kiss my lips. "I love you. I love you so much. I was so worried...I have never been so scared. And when I got here they wouldn't tell me anything..." He shut his eyes tight and tears came out. "I lost it. I almost got kicked out by security."

I wiped his face with my left hand. "I'm sorry. I love you too. I promise I'll change the forms over to include your name." A thought occurred to me. "Were you able to find my insurance information? Or did Max? I'm still on the state insurance for another month until my job's insurance kicks in," I said, feeling panicked.

"Max brought your purse and gave them as much information as she could. Don't worry about anything. I'm going to go get Dodger...who else do you want to see?"

"Max first unless my mom is here."

Chris left and came back less than 2 minutes later with Dodger on a leash and my mom next to him.

Dodge's ears perked up when he saw me and he let out a pitiful whine. I scooted myself over and Chris let go of the leash when they got around to my left side. Dodger jumped on the chair and then on to the bed next to me, laying his body right against me. He rested his head against my left breast and looked up at me, a small whine coming out of his mouth again.

I laughed and leaned my face down so he could kiss me a few times. I wrapped my left arm around his body, and he settled in more closely against me. "You're the best boy ever," I whispered to him, kissing his wet nose. "You didn't leave me, huh?" He kissed me again and then shut his eyes as I started to run my hand gently over his fur.

My mom gently squeezed my leg from the other side of the bed and I looked at her. "Hey, mommy."

"Oh, my girl," she said, brushing some loose strands of hair back from my face. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. But I was in contact with Dr. Monahan. I didn't know they weren't telling Chris everything." She handed me a clip board that had my emergency contact lists on it. She filled out Chris's information for me and then I signed it as best as I could. She gave it to Chris to bring out to the nurse's station and when it was just my mom, myself and Dodger in the room, my mom gave me a serious look.

"What?"

"Give it 6 months. I guarantee Chris will be asking you to marry him."

I laughed at her, and it hurt so I winced. "Mom, what? What makes you say that?"

"I can tell. Robert told me on the way here that Chris was almost kicked out of here for getting so angry about them not giving him information. Robert also said he left his set and came straight here. He really loves you, baby girl. He called me in tears to tell me you were at the hospital. He got me on the first flight out-"

"Mom, I know he loves me but that doesn't mean-"

I was cut off by Chris coming back into the room and smiling at us both, the smile that made my knees weak and sent butterflies through me every single time. My mom gave me a look and subtly touched the ring finger of her left hand. I rolled my eyes at her.

Chris raised his eyebrows at me. "What'd I miss?" he asked.

"Nothing. My mom is just teasing me."

"Out of love," she said, as if to say 'duh'. She laughed when I stuck my tongue out at her and then she came around the bed to kiss Dodger's head. "You're a good boy," she told him. She squeezed my left hand and kissed my forehead. "I'll let some other people come see you."

"But-"

She shook her head. "It's fine, baby girl. Let Chris stay here with you and one person can come at a time. Max next?"

I nodded and squeezed her hand. "Love you."

"Love you too, baby girl."

A minute later Max was coming into the room with my purse and a small duffle bag in tow. "Sup, bitch? How about next time you get sick in a bathroom and want to pass out you take your phone with you?"

I laughed at her, and pain radiated up my right side. "Fuck, Max. Please don't make me laugh right now."

She grinned at me and set my stuff down by the window. "Bud, you scared the shit out of me and everyone else. Seb was a wreck. "

"Who else is out there?" I asked.

"Seb, Lisa, Robert, Shanna, Carly, Scott, Lizzie and Mackie," she answered, pulling another chair over to the bed and sitting in it. "Bud, how come you didn't tell me you weren't feeling good all week? I heard the doctor telling your mom."

I shrugged. "Max, I really didn't think it was anything crazy. You know how my stomach gets sometimes...you know how my period gets. I really wasn't sick until today...um well yesterday I mean." I paused and looked at her. "Did Seb ride in the ambulance with me?"

She shook her head. "I got there right as the ambulance did...which by the way my new worst nightmare is watching them lift your limp body onto the gurney." I winced. "I rode with you. Seb took care of Dodger and cleaning up the bathroom before coming here. Scott took over Dodger duty until Dodger calmed down enough to bring him to the hospital with everyone else."

"Oh, no," I groaned. "Poor Dodge, and I owe Seb so much. He shouldn't have cleaned all that up."

"He didn't want to leave it for whenever you got home. Plus, how would you have cleaned it up, ya big dope?" she asked, poking my leg gently. Max looked over at Chris who was rubbing some more stray tears off his face. I looked over at him too. "Hey," Max said to him. "Why don't you and I go get some coffee? This way everyone can see her faster and she can get some rest."

Chris nodded and kissed me before leaving the room with Max. I felt terrible. He was a mess and I didn't know how to fix it from this fucking hospital bed.

Lisa and Robert visited me next, then Chris's sisters, then Scott, and then Lizzie and Mackie came in. Finally, Seb came into the room. He looked tired as hell.

"Hey, Seb."

"Boy am I glad to see you awake finally," he said before sitting himself in the chair by Dodger. He patted Dodger's side gently. "This good boy stuck by you the whole time."

I moved my hand from Dodger's fur and grabbed Seb's, squeezing it. "Thank you for coming to the rescue. I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

Seb nodded and kept hold of my hand. "You scared the shit out of me. I...the 911 operator made me check your pulse. I was terrified there wouldn't be one."

"Fuck, Seb..."

He shook his head and got up to hug me quick and kiss my head gently. "I'm just glad you're okay...and I'm glad I got the bathroom door open with a credit card. I thought I was going to have to break the door down. Which, I don't know if you've seen me lately, but I am definitely lacking in the muscle department. I gotta get back to the gym before filming starts up again for me and Mackie," he said with a laugh.

I smiled at him. "Thanks for everything." I let go of his hand and held my side as I started to feel some more pain come back. The pain meds must be starting to wear off.

"Anytime, Evie. I'll go get Chris and your doctor, okay?"

I nodded at him and hugged Dodger with my left arm again. He let out a small sigh and settled more firmly against my side as Seb left the room. I shut my eyes, and heard the door open again.

"Are you going to have your dog in here all night, Mr. Evans?" Dr. Monahan asked.

"Yes," Chris said, sounding close to snapping at her. "He's a therapy dog, and I have the paperwork. He's staying here and so am I. I'm not leaving her."

I opened my eyes to see her purse her lips angrily at him and I almost laughed.

"Ms. Anderson," Dr. Monahan said, "I'm going to put some pain meds in your IV now and you'll most likely fall asleep pretty fast. We'll see how you are when you wake up again and come up with a game plan for your recovery." She was already putting something in the IV bag, and I already felt my eyelids starting to shut.

I felt Chris kiss my lips, and then there was nothing yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think of this one?
> 
> Poor Chris is a mess...
> 
> Anyone wondering where Tom is?
> 
> Yeah me too but...hey maybe he'll show up........
> 
> Comments please!


	40. Chapter 40: "...I lost my ovary, gallbladder, and appendix...not my brain."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom finally makes it to the hospital to see Evie. Evie's doctor tells her about the restrictions she will face once being released from the hospital, and of course Evie has to be stubborn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!
> 
> I hope everyone is doing okay. I have had the most insane week that included my baby niece being in the hospital for 4 days. It's just been nuts!!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Several people commented last time worried about where Tom is...and this chapter makes it clear what happened and why he was delayed so have no fear!

The next time I opened my eyes, it was light out and Tom was sitting in my room with Chris.

"Hey," I said groggily and noticed that Dodger was now at the foot of my bed. I reached for Tom with my left hand, and he grabbed it instantly. "What are you doing here?"

He raised an eyebrow at me and then looked at Chris. "She's laying in a hospital bed and she asks me what I'm doing here?"

I squeezed his hand and then let it go to use the remote of the bed to sit myself up. "I know why you're here. I lost my ovary, gallbladder, and appendix...not my brain," I deadpanned, making both of them suddenly let out an abrupt laugh.

"How can you still be so yourself even when like this?" Tom asked, a soft smile on his face.

"My award winning personality even fucking shines brightly through clouds of painkillers."

Chris and him both laughed hard, Chris clutching his chest and Tom doing his adorable "ehehehe" laugh that the internet loved so much.

"See? Making people laugh from my hospital bed is my new favorite thing to do," I told them.

"Of course," Tom said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Him and Chris worked together to help me sit up better.

"But seriously, Tom, you were all the way in L.A. I feel bad."

Tom smiled softly at me and sat on the edge of my bed at my left side facing me. "Chris called me to tell me you were in the hospital and he didn't know why. He told me not to come, but...I didn't listen. I walked off set and got the first flight here. It got delayed and I had to do 2 layovers. I just got here an hour ago."

"Isn't Marvel going to be pissed?"

He grabbed my hand and gently kissed my knuckles. Chris came around the other side and sat himself on the right side of my bed.

"I don't care," Tom said. "I was worried about you. You know how much I care about you." He leaned down and gently kissed my lips.

I smiled at them both and carefully grabbed Chris's hand with my right one, wishing that some of the machines weren't hooked up to me. "I'm glad you're both here."

Dr. Monahan chose that moment to walk in. "Oh, good. You're awake." Both men let me go and backed off to the side so Dr. Monahan and a nurse (named Claire) could look me over.

"Did you even go home and sleep?" I asked Dr. Monahan.

She laughed. "It's 10 am."

"That doesn't mean you slept," I pointed out.

"True. But if you must know, I did sleep in my office for 3 hours. I wanted to stay and monitor you. I didn't want to pass you off to someone else yet."

"Why?"

"Because I like you and I feel bad that we took your appendix out for no reason. I got the labs back and you definitely could have kept it in you."

I shrugged. "Meh. What's one more organ out? No biggie. Besides, how much less do I weigh now that I'm down an appendix, an ovary, and a gallbladder?"

Dr. Monahan let out a loud bark of laughter and Claire the nurse actually snorted.

I could literally feel Tom and Chris trying to contain their laughter.

"They don't weigh that much. Maybe a pound all together," Dr. Monahan told me, rolling her eyes a little.

"Damn," I said under my breath, making everyone laugh again.

"I want to check your incisions, and I want to use the ultrasound machine on you to make sure no other cysts developed on your other ovary."

Tom grabbed Dodger's leash. "I'll take Dodge for a walk, okay? I'll come back in a bit." Dodger jumped off the bed and Tom stopped to look at Dr. Monahan. "Can I bring her back coffee?"

"Oh, coffee," I groaned, nearly salivating.

"Yes but no sugar and no cream. Her stomach may react badly from the dairy."

"Powdered non-dairy creamer it is," Tom said before leaving the room.

Claire closed the door and drew the curtains around the bed in case anyone walked in.

Chris grabbed my hand and held it the whole time while they examined me.

Thankfully, my incisions looked great and the ultrasound showed nothing. She even unhooked my right arm from a few machines and I could now move it almost normally. I was still hooked up to the IV, though.

"Okay, Ms. Anderson," Dr. Monahan started.

"Evie," I told her.

She nodded. "Evie, I think we can get you out of here tomorrow morning as long as you can get up and walk around a little today and use the bathroom without much trouble."

"Done," I told her. "I want to go home."

She patted my leg. "I know. But, listen. You're going to have to take it easy for at least two weeks. You can't work. No heavy lifting. No working out. No going on long walks. Strictly just walking around the house. No driving either. And you're going to have to drastically change your diet for a little while. Since your gallbladder is not there, your body is going to have a hard time digesting fatty foods. For the next few weeks, focus on eating only chicken, fish, vegetables, and fruit. You can slowly reintroduce dairy and other things, but just be aware that you may be running for the bathroom right away."

"Can she go up and down stairs?" Chris asked. "I have stairs in my house which is why I'm asking," he clarified. He sat down in the seat next to my left side.

Claire went around the room cleaning some things up and opening the curtains back up.

"I would say it's not a good idea at first. At least not until she heals better."

"How long until the stitches come out?" I asked.

"These ones will actually dissolve on their own when you're healed enough. I want to see you 3 days after you leave, and then again 4 days later, and then after that another week to see if I think you can handle going back to work." She pulled my gown back down. "You ready to try getting up and getting to the bathroom?"

I nodded and she carefully took the catheter out of me and gave it all to Claire.

Dr. Monahan pulled the blankets down, and her and Chris helped me move my legs over the side of the bed and sit up. I very shakily got to my feet, and was surprised at the minimal amount of pain I felt in my side.

Chris fixed my gown for me in the back, and I cautiously took a few steps, holding onto the rolling IV since it had to come with me. The tile floor was cold, and I must have made a face because Chris was suddenly rushing for my bag and grabbing my favorite moccasin slippers from it.

"Here, babe," he muttered, placing them by my feet and helping me step into them.

I made it to the bathroom with minimal damage, but Chris insisted on coming in with me. "This is so embarrassing," I muttered as I lowered myself on to the toilet. As I sat down, I did feel some pain from bunching up my abdomen, but it wasn't bad.

Chris shook his head. "It's okay. It's not embarrassing."

I rolled my eyes a little. "Chris, I love you. I really do. And I appreciate all that you are doing, but you have to let me go to the bathroom by myself," I said. "Please." I added the please so it wouldn't sound so harsh.

He nodded. "Okay. Boundary crossed. I'm sorry, Eve," he murmured before leaving the bathroom.

I felt bad for sending him away, but as a small bout of diarrhea hit me at that exact moment I knew I had made a good choice. Some things you just did not want someone else to see or hear you do.

***

When I got out of the bathroom, I was relieved to see Tom and Dodger in the room again with Chris and Dr. Monahan. Tom had my coffee which I sipped carefully.

Dr. Monahan was still there as well. "Everything good?"

I gestured with my right hand as if to say so-so. "Meh."

"Yeah so your stomach will still probably be a little messed up for a bit. On really bad days, you can take some imodium if you want. I'm going to check on your incisions again later. Honestly, Evie, if all looks well and you keep yourself walking around, I think you can be released tonight. You're doing great."

"Thanks. Can I please put on some underwear and pants at least?"

She nodded. "Loose sweatpants only. Or I can give you scrub pants if you don't have sweats."

Chris pulled out a pair of sweats from my bag. "Got it covered."

Dr. Monahan smiled. "Okay. Just don't let her bend all the way over to dress herself."

When she left, Tom locked the door behind her.

"Chris, please tell me those are your sweatpants," I pleaded, knowing his would be looser on me.

"They are." He walked over to me with Dodger in tow. "These good?" he asked, showing me a pair of cotton hipster style underwear.

"Perfect."

He crouched in front of me and helped me put my underwear on and the sweatpants. Dodger supervised everything, and even lifted his paw to Chris's arm.

I laughed. "Dodger doesn't trust you to take care of me it seems."

Chris smiled and stood up, wrapping me in his arms. I wrapped my arms around him, being careful of the IV and rested my face on his chest and just smelled his familiar scent.

"I thought I had a miscarriage when I saw the blood," I told him, suddenly getting choked up. "And then when Dr. Monahan said I hadn't been pregnant, I felt so relieved because if I would have lost a baby..." I cried into his chest and he rubbed my back soothingly.

"I know, baby," he said, his voice choked up too.

"But then when she said I had an ovary removed...the first thing I thought was oh my god will I be able to have kids now? And I thought that you'd definitely leave me." I sobbed and felt Dodger pressing his head into my leg. I reached down and stroked the top of his head.

Chris pulled back, tears streaming down his face. "Baby, no."

I heard Tom move toward the door and unlocked it so he could leave, but both Chris and I turned toward him.

"I should really leave you two be-"

"No," Chris and I said at the same time.

Tom hesitantly walked toward us and sat on the bed by me. Dodger jumped on the bed next to him, and Tom started petting him.

Chris looked at me again, his hands cupping my face gently. "I would never leave you. No matter what. Even if it meant we couldn't have kids. Babe, I love you. I love you more than anything."

I wiped the tears from his face, and leaned into him. "I love you so much," I told him. I reached behind me to grab Tom's hand, and he carefully moved behind me to kiss the top of my head.

I hadn't even heard the door open, but Max was suddenly just in the doorway. "Hey, bud," she said, and Tom pulled back to sit on the bed with Dodger. I wasn't sure how much she had seen exactly...but hopefully she wouldn't get the wrong idea. We still weren't comfortable with anyone knowing what the 3 of us did behind closed doors.

It was nuts that I was keeping this...insane secret from my best friend, but I honestly wasn't sure what she would think of me. Would she think less of me? Think less of Chris? Think less of Tom? I didn't know.

I could see Max looking between the 3 of us, but she didn't comment on it and instead said, "How ya feelin', bud?"

Tom got up. "I'm going to go get something to eat so we don't get in trouble for more than 2 people being in here," he said and then quietly left.

"I'm okay," I told Max, feeling my heart tug a little as I watched Tom walk out the door. "I'm just worried about how I'm going to get through the next two weeks. Plus work-"

"Stop," both Chris and Max said, cutting me off.

They both knew me really well and both knew that my anxiety was rising quickly.

"I talked to work. They sent flowers, by the way," she said, pointing at the table at the other end of the room that I just now saw was filled with flowers and cards. "They don't want you to worry. They said take as long as you need. There are things you can do from home so you don't have to put in for days off."

"I asked the director and producer if we could postpone filming for a few weeks," Chris said.

"But, Chris-" I tried to argue.

"No," he said firmly. "You are not arguing this. You can't be alone. You can't lift things. You can't go up and down the steps. You are going to need help. We can stay in the office until you can do stairs again."

I wanted to scream in frustration. I hated this. I didn't want anyone having to miss work to take care of me. I could take care of myself!

"Chris, will you give Evie and I a minute?" Max said.

Chris's jaw was tight as if he expected me to actually start screaming. "Yeah," he muttered and then left the room with Dodger to go walk him.

"Bud, you need to stop it. You are not going to be able to do the things you're used to doing for a while, and you gotta suck it up. You can't be alone for a few weeks. Chris wants to take care of you, and you need to fucking let him instead of trying to bite his head off."

"I'm not-"

"Bullshit. You were about to. Both of us saw it on your face."

I held my face in my hands as tears burned in my eyes. "I hate feeling helpless."

Max sat on the bed and wrapped me up carefully in her arms. "You're not helpless. You are just hurt. You have to accept the fact that you need help."

I sighed and sniffed. I was about to say something, but then my mom walked in the room.

She took one look at me and sighed. "Is she being stubborn about Chris taking off work to help her for 2 weeks?"

"Yep," Max answered.

I rolled my eyes at them both. "Okay okay." I pulled away from Max and wiped my eyes. "I get it. You're both right. I'm being stupid."

"Yeah you are," Max said.

My mom came over and crouched in front of me. She grabbed my hands in hers. "Baby, I wish I could help you for the next two weeks, but I can't miss anymore work. You have to let Chris help you, sweetie. Please be reasonable."

"I'm trying. I promise I'm trying," I told her.

Little did I know, this would be the hardest thing I've ever done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what did you guys think?
> 
> Let me know in the comments, please!!
> 
> I know...I know...Evie is stupidly stubborn. But think about it...if you're used to do everything yourself and suddenly can't do the things you are used to...wouldn't you be stubborn too?
> 
> It's not easy!


	41. Chapter 41: A horny, grumpy mess.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie recovers at home with Chris, but it isn't going as well as anyone hoped. Evie is stubborn and Chris is extra cautious of everything she does, causing some tension between the two of them. Tom talks to both Chris and Evie to help ease the tension.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oookayyy...so this is just some straight up filler to just kinda pave the other to other stuff. The next chapter we get some Evie and Tom time!!!! <3

We were now one week into my two week complete restriction period, and I was going absolutely insane.

Everyone else went back to what they had been doing before the incident, and Tom had flown back to L.A. to continue filming.

Chris had packed some of my clothes from my house and brought them to his house and put them in the drawers and closet of the spare room. The two of us were sleeping in the bed together, a bed that was smaller than his one downstairs. It was a queen sized bed, but it may as well have been a twin with how crowded it felt with both of us and Dodger.

I was trying so hard. So fucking hard. Trying not to argue with him when he insisted on doing EVERY little thing imaginable. Trying not to flip out when he would barely even let me bend over to dress myself. Trying not to scream in frustration when he basically waited outside of the bathroom every time I used it or showered in case I needed help.

Was I being a cold, heartless bitch?

Yes. Absolutely. 

But this was infuriating. God help me whenever I do actually end up pregnant with this man's child because he isn't going to let me fucking lift a finger.

And when I end up in a nursing home when I'm old? I'm gunna be fighting those nurses at every turn.

***

Toward the end of week 2, Chris and I were both cranky. I was starting to feel much better, and was trying to do more things on my own but he would stop me.

We had just had an argument because he wouldn't let me lift Dodger's water bowl to fill it up, and I had left the kitchen after snapping at him.

My phone rang and it was Tom, and I knew in my heart of hearts why he was calling me.

"Hey," I mumbled as I answered.

He actually chuckled on the other end. "Darling, don't you just sound so overjoyed to hear from me."

"If your only reason to call me is to lecture me for arguing with Chris, I can promise you this conversation is going to be very short."

Tom sighed. "I'm not going to lecture you." I waited with baited breath for a moment and let silence fill the line. "I'm just going to urge you to not to argue with him." I rolled my eyes. "My god it's like I can literally hear your eyes rolling from L.A." I chuckled at that. "Sweetheart, Chris loves you very much and he doesn't want you to overdo it. You're trying to do too much and you're going to hurt yourself."

"Tom, have you ever been so injured that people will barely let you take a shit by yourself?"

He barked out a laugh. "Thank you for that incredibly vivid image, but no, darling, I have not."

"I'm being serious. I am suffocating. I feel like I am suffocating here. I know he is trying to help. I know I am being stubborn. I know I am being irrational and bitchy and literally the world's worst patient, but I feel like a prisoner inside of a house that isn't mine." And now the tears were flowing. "I don't mind staying here, but I want my big comfortable bed. Or even his bed downstairs. I want to be able to go to the bathroom without someone listening on the other side of the door. I am not a China doll. I am not going to break if I get looked at wrong or touched. Tom, he won't even hold me in bed! He will barely even touch me!"

The sigh I heard come from the other end of the phone was so loud that even Dodger heard it from his spot on the floor next to the bed and cocked his head at me in question. "The two most stubborn people on the planet had to find each other and fall in love with each other, and somehow I'm in the middle of this," he muttered to himself. "Sweetheart, I will talk to him, but you need to stop this nonsense. You cannot keep arguing with him about everything. You two need to have a talk and set some limits. Do you think you can be a rational adult and talk to him?"

"Rational adult," I said back to him like a child mocking someone's words.

"Good god. Honestly, Evie, are you 5 years old?"

I sighed and flopped back on the bed all dramatically. "No."

"I'm going to call Chris now. Talk to you soon, darling." And then he hung up.

Dodger looked at me, and I looked back at him. "Have I been a nightmare to live with for 2 weeks, bud?"

Dodger sort of cocked his head and then sneezed and put his head back on the floor. I was going to take that as a yes.

I waited a few minutes before going back to the kitchen with Dodger on my heels. Chris was sitting at the table and had just put his phone down. He sighed and put his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes as he leaned his elbows on the table. His body was tight with tension like he was expecting a bomb to go off at any second.

The shittier part was, I was the bomb. Fuck...what had I done? I had gone and fucked this whole thing up.

I walked into the kitchen and got a clean glass from the dish drain and went to the fridge to get some water. He had this great system on his fridge that did ice, ice chips, and cold water that was filtered and didn't taste like shit. I drank some water slowly, feeling Chris's eyes on my back.

I turned toward him and was shocked to see his eyes rimmed red with unshed tears.

"Do you really feel like a prisoner in a house that's not even yours?"

I winced. "Why would Tom tell you-"

"He didn't. I heard you yell it to him from here in the kitchen."

"Oh." I leaned my butt against the counter next to the fridge, put my glass down and crossed my arms, cupping my elbows with my hands as I looked down at the floor.

I heard the chair scrape the floor as he got up, and felt him move toward me.

"Is that really how you feel?" he asked.

"Yes. No. I don't know." I rubbed my hands over my face before pushing my glasses up my nose. "I just...you're not letting me try to do anything. It's been two weeks, and I'm feeling better and the wounds look good. I can move around better. I can probably do stairs. I just hate the bed in the spare room. It's not my bed...or your bed. And I need to go to the bathroom without an audience on the other side of the door. This has been so...degrading to have someone listening in on my every pee or bowel movement. But the worst is...you not even touching me. You won't even touch me."

"I've touched you. I've helped you get dressed-" 

I cut him off. "No. Chris, you haven't TOUCHED me."

He fucking rolled his damn eyes at me. "Well, of course I'm not going to touch you like that. If you can't climb stairs you definitely can't have-"

I grabbed my hair in my hands and pulled it in frustration. "I'm not talking about sex, you nutcase! I'm talking about cuddling. I'm talking about you holding me...or kissing me. Playing with my hair. Running your fingers over my back like the way I love. Chris, you haven't touched me in 2 weeks since I got out of the hospital."

"I was trying not to hurt you. I don't want to accidentally-"

"Chris!" I yelled to stop him, and I was going to keep yelling, but I took a deep breath and let it out slow. Unfortunately, that's when the tears started falling involuntarily out of my eyes. "Chris," I tried again, but it got choked up in my throat. I took my glasses off my face and tossed them on to the counter so I could wipe my eyes. It took me three tries of clearing my throat before I could talk, and it still came out choked with tears. "I'm really feeling better. I promise. I'm not lying so that I can go back to doing everything normally. And I just want you to hold me. This has been horrible, and I know you've been here taking care of me, but I feel like you haven't been HERE. And I need you HERE. Am I making any fucking sense?"

He carefully wrapped his arms around me, and the dam broke and I started sobbing into his shirt. I held him as tight as I could, clenching my hands in the fabric of his shirt, and finally, he tightened his grip and hugged me like normal. I heard him sniffle and felt some of his tears drip on to my hair and shoulder. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm sorry."

"Me too. I'm sorry for everything."

We moved to the couch and he sat us so that I was laying between his legs. He rubbed my back with his hands as we both calmed down and wiped each other's tears away.

"I'm sorry for treating you like a piece of glass. I'm sorry for not listening when you said you could go to the bathroom on your own. I'm sorry for not touching you and holding you. But most of all, I'm sorry for not being here when you got sick in the first place."

I froze and then carefully sat up on the couch so I could look him in the eye. I couldn't see much without the glasses, so I actually straddled his legs and sat on his thighs to see him clearer. "Is that what this whole thing is about? That you weren't here for me when everything happened?" He rubbed his eyes again and nodded. "Chris, baby, you cannot put this on yourself. You have to work and sometimes that means you have to leave. Nothing you did caused me to get sick. Please do not keep this weight on your shoulders. I should have gone to the doctor sooner. I should have brought my phone to the bathroom with me."

He sighed and leaned forward to softly kiss my lips. "I'm still sorry...for everything else."

"I'm sorry too. I was a nightmarish bitch the last 2 weeks. I just..."

"No, listen...I understand. I've been...really tiptoeing around you. I know how you feel about taking care of yourself. I know you're stubborn. I know your independence means a lot to you, and I've pushed you to the breaking point." I was about to talk but he stopped me. "You know it's true. Look, we can say apologies to each other all day and go in circles. Instead of going in circles, let's just...move forward on a straight path. I promise to try and back off as long as you promise to be careful and let me know if you need help. We can see if you can do the stairs and sleep in my bed. I promise to hold you and touch you and kiss you as much as you want me to. Deal?"

I nodded. "I promise to try not to fight you on every thing. I promise to try and be a better patient. I promise to tell you if I need help. I really will. We have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow so we can see what she says then. But please let's try the steps. I can't spend another night in that bed."

"Done." He pushed my hair back from my face. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

***

When I went to the doctor the next day, she agreed that I was healing nicely but she still wanted me to stay home from work another week and then to not lift anything more than 20 pounds for 3 weeks after just to be safe.

Chris stayed home with me another week, and once I was able to return to work, he left again to continue shooting. He'd be gone about another month maybe if all went well.

I was still watching Dodger for him, but I mostly brought Dodger over to mine and Max's house since we did have a yard there too. It wasn't fenced, but I was able to walk him fine. Sometimes Dodger even went to Chris's mom's house while I worked so he could get to play with the kids.

Things were running smoothly once again.

***

It was now 1 week before Chris would return home. I had gone to the doctor the day before and was cleared to resume all normal activity. This meant I could lift heavier things now, go on longer walks with Dodger...things like that.

It especially meant that I was able to resume normal sexual activity which was great!!!!

Except that Chris was still filming.

I was a mess.

A horny, grumpy mess.

I was also back to staying at Chris's house with Dodger because Seb and Max were spending a lot of time at mine and Max's place, and if I had to listen to them have sex one more night I was going to go psycho.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments?
> 
> Also...you guys have no idea how much you all mean to me. Seriously. I have the best readers and loyal commenters ever <3


	42. Chapter 42: "Aw fucking hell, man. You lucky son of a bitch."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie is waiting for Chris to come home when Tom surprises her by showing up unannounced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FULLLLL SMUTTTTTTTT AHEADDDDDDDDDDDDDD!
> 
> You're welcome.
> 
> Also, I know in the past a few of you had said you were concerned about Tom because you didn't want this to have cheating involved...and I promise that is not happening here! This chapter is just diving a little bit deeper into feelings between Tom and Evie...but with KNOWLEDGE AND PERMISSION of Chris. Please keep that in mind as you read.

It was now only 3 days until Chris came back, and I had just finished dinner and was cleaning up when the doorbell rang.

I frowned and looked at Dodger who was alert but his tail was wagging. "Who could that be, bud?" I asked Dodger, and he just tilted his head almost like a person would shrug.

I dried my hand on the towel and then Dodger walked with me to the front door. When I opened it, I was shocked to see Tom on the other side with a small duffel bag.

"Hey," I said, feeling a smile light up my face. "You're done filming?"

He smiled and came through the door, greeting Dodger first before hugging me. "Yep. I got back this morning but had to do some voice work and unpack everything."

"You didn't even say you were coming home." I locked the door back up and turned off all the outside lights after making sure the gate to the driveway was closed. Tom had keys to this house and all security codes, but I knew he had knocked so he wouldn't scare me.

"I figured I'd surprise you." He smiled at me before going to set his bag in the spare room. When he came back, he wrapped me in his arms again. "How is everything?"

I hugged him tight and leaned my head against his chest to take in the familiar smell of him. "Everything is good. I'm now totally clear to resume normal activity." I pulled away from him. "Are you hungry? I made chicken pot pie with bisquick over the top instead of a traditional pie crust."

Tom nodded. "I am starving. But I do need a shower first. It's been a long day."

"Go shower. I'll get the food heating back up. Would you like a cup of hot tea or do you just want water?"

"Tea please. Thank you, darling," he said, quickly kissing my cheek before he went to go shower.

We always stuck to the rules that we had outlined when we first started this...whatever you wanted to call it. Tom and I never did anything without Chris being in our presence.

However, as horny as I currently was...this was going to be quite a challenge. But I would never ever betray Chris and the rules we had set.

I got the tea pot heating up and then started heating his dinner up in the oven. I put a huge helping in a glass pan, and then my phone rang and of course it was Chris.

"Hey, baby," I said, as a sudden yawn escaped my mouth.

"Hey, sweetheart, are you about to go to bed?"

"No. It's only 8...too early for bed. I'm just a little tired. Tom just got here actually so I'm warming up some food for him while he showers."

"He said he'd go spend some time with you when he got back today. What did you cook?"

"Chicken pot pie." I laughed at the disappointed sound from the other end of the phone. "Don't worry. I made a huge batch and froze half of it for you to try." I let Dodger out the back door and turned on the big flood light.

"That's my girl," Chris said with a laugh. "I really miss you."

I sighed and leaned against the glass door, watching Dodger traipse through the grass to find the perfect spot to do his business. "Chris, I miss you too. 3 more days. I'm dying over here. I had to leave my apartment because Seb and Max were having so much sex that I couldn't take it."

"I'm sorry, babe. But I know how you feel. You've been killing me with those naughty pictures."

"And you've been killing me with yours. I'm like a teenaged boy...always horny. It's awful," I said with a groan.

"Baby, I'm sorry. Did you try your toys?"

I groaned again. "Yes. But it's...not the same. I need you," I told him honestly, already feeling myself get excited at the thought of having him when he got home.

I let Dodger back in and he drank some water before going to lay down in the living room.

"Babe, you know..." Chris started. "Tom is there. I bet he'd be more than willing to help you out."

"But our rules-"

At that moment, Tom came into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants hanging low on his hips. He was shirtless, and water drops were still falling from his wet hair on to his chest, and he was barefoot. He had also filled out a little to reprise his role as Loki, and his body looked damn good.

"Fuck," I actually said out loud, making Tom look at me in question. I blushed and rushed to get his dinner plate for him and made his tea the way he liked.

Chris was chuckling on the other side of the phone. "Did you see Tom in just a towel or something?"

I blushed harder and turned away from Tom. "No." I bit my lip.

"Babe, please. If Tom is okay with it, you can have sex with him. It's okay. I'm not there and you really obviously need it and I'm giving you permission."

"Are you sure?" I whispered.

"Yes. I promise that I'm sure. I love you, Evie."

"I love you too, Chris. I can't wait for you to get home."

"Do me a favor? Put me on speaker so Tom can hear me okay?"

"Okay." I turned back to Tom who was eating the chicken pot pie with a look of pure ecstasy on his face. "Chris wants to talk to you," I told him before putting the phone on speaker. "You're on speaker, babe."

Tom raised an eyebrow at me and then swallowed his food before saying, "Hey, Chris. What's up?"

"Hey, man. I'll be home in a few days but...listen. You and Evie, if you want to, you have my okay to do whatever you want tonight."

Tom raised an eyebrow at me and I blushed bright red. "What do you mean?"

Chris chuckled. "I mean sex. Have sex. I'm okay with it for tonight. I trust you both."

I was blushing so bad that I put the phone down by Tom so I could turn away from him to put the food away and clean up the kitchen again.

"Are you sure, Chris? I don't want to...mess this up. This is working for us. At least, I hope it is. I don't want to do anything to mess it up," Tom said.

Chris was quiet for a second. "Take me off speaker," he said, making me freeze in my tracks.

Tom picked up the phone and took it off speaker to hold it to his ear. "Okay." He was quiet for a minute. "Oh. That's a good idea." He took a few more bites of his food as he listened to Chris talk. "Oh, she's been a naughty girl all week? That's interesting."

I was blushing as I moved through the kitchen. "Can you two please stop talking about me?" I said loud enough that I'm sure Chris heard me too.

Tom smirked at me, and I rolled my eyes and went downstairs to Chris's room.

Dodger stayed upstairs with Tom, and I got my clothes and work bag ready for the morning. Just 3 more days of work and Chris would be home. But at least I had Tom to keep me company for the next few days now.

As I was in the bathroom doing my nightly routine, Tom came downstairs with Dodger in tow. Dodger went right to his bed, and Tom came into the bathroom since I had left the door open and handed me my phone back.

"If you're not comfortable with this, we don't have to do anything. I'll even sleep upstairs if you want-"

I shook my head and met his eyes in the mirror. He was standing behind me as I took my make-up off. "Please don't. Please stay with me." I grabbed his hand and squeezed it for a second before going back to washing my face really good.

Tom left the bathroom, and when I was done, I put my glasses back on and went out to him. He was laying on the bed waiting for me with his sweats still on and his glasses on.

I slowly took off all of my clothes and left them in a pile on the floor before crawling on to the bed. He watched me as I pulled down his sweats and underwear and threw them to the floor. He took off his glasses and set them down, and I did the same. As much as I had missed Chris's body, I had also missed Tom's almost just as much. I laid myself next to him and kissed him like I had been wanting to since he walked in the door.

A soft sigh escaped both of our mouths as we pressed ourselves against each other. The immediate response I had to feeling his hands on me was insane. My nipples got hard, and I felt myself get instantly wet with desire.

I pushed him flat on his back and swung my leg over his hips to straddle him, not breaking the kiss. His hands moved down to my hips and pressed them down against his. I broke the kiss to sit straight up above him and decided to waste no more time. I grabbed his hard cock in my hands beneath me and used his abdomen as leverage to thrust myself down on to him.

"Evie," he hissed. "Take it easy, love."

It hurt a little since it had been a few months since I had last had sex with either of them...and since I wasn't using any lube, but I didn't care. "I can't," I nearly sobbed as I slid myself down him further. "I need you."

He groaned and gripped my hips with his hands before we set a furious pace. His hands slammed me down on to him, and I kept moaning and yelling loudly into the empty room. "Fucking hell, Evie."

It was only minutes before my orgasm slammed into me, and Tom stroked my back and slowed my hips. I was panting for air above him, but still felt such a strong need for more. The first orgasm had done nothing to quiet the hunger inside of me.

"Sweetheart, the look on your face right now..." Tom said with a groan. "Turn around. I want to show Chris something."

Feeling a little dazed, I got up and turned my back toward him before lowering myself onto him again. "Chris?"

Tom's long arm appeared in front of me and he showed me his phone. He had face-timed Chris, who had just answered. "Hey, baby. Can I watch for a little bit? I really miss you."

Somewhere in my brain it registered that Chris must have been in his hotel room because I could see his shirt was off, but Tom moved his hips and my head fell back as I moaned loudly.

I had to stop paying attention to whatever Tom was doing with the phone since my back was turned to him, and I started moving my body slowly up and down his cock, hearing a sharp intake of breath from both men.

"Aw fucking hell, man. You lucky son of a bitch," I heard Chris say as Tom moaned.

I started moving faster, my hands stroking my nipples before moving down to my clit. Tom's hands slammed my hips down, and it wasn't much longer until I was nearing orgasm again.

I heard Chris moaning softly and knew he had to be enjoying the view from where he was.

I yelled loudly as I orgasmed, and heard Chris curse loudly through the phone.

"Fuck. Man, damnit. I fucking needed that so bad. Thanks, Tom. Go finish up with our girl. Love you, Evie," Chris said and then disconnected the call.

I pulled off of Tom and turned to him as I laid myself face down on the bed. "I can't be on top anymore."

"It's alright. I've got you," he said as he got up and moved 2 large pillows beneath my hips, raising my lower body up. He put another pillow beneath my head, and I swallowed hard as I watched him take our lube and anal plug out of the bedside drawer. "Ready?"

I nodded and let him prep me, not that I could move my body anyway to do anything to help him. He slowly pushed the plug into my ass, letting me adjust to it for a moment. When I was ready, he pushed his cock into my tight pussy, and I moaned loudly. The guys had been doing more and more anal play with me, but I'd never felt so full. I was beyond mad with need at this point.

"Fucking hell, Evie," he choked out as he slowly pulled out of me before pushing back in. "I'm not going to last much longer."

I nodded, feeling sweat drip down my forehead. "Need...vibrator," I nearly begged. Neither of us were going to last much longer, but I wanted this to be a really good one.

He must have already anticipated I would want it because next thing I knew, he was shoving my small vibrator in my hand. I turned it on and pushed it against my clit and yelled loudly into the room.

Tom started fucking me very hard and fast then, angling his hips low so his thrusts were shallow. He was hitting my g-spot with every stroke, and I screamed as he suddenly smacked my ass hard.

I orgasmed then, screaming so loud my voice cracked as wave after wave of pleasure wracked my body. It was literally a tidal wave of pleasure, and I felt something in me give and a rush of fluid left me.

"Fuck, yes! Evie, aw fuck! Baby, yes yes yes." Tom slammed into me one last time and I felt him spurt inside of me.

I collapsed on the bed, dropping the vibrator from my hand as I tried to remember how to breathe again.

I wasn't sure how long the two of us stayed as we were, and it felt likes hours later when Tom pulled out of me and pulled the anal plug from me. I groaned because my body was still so sensitive, but I distinctly became aware of the giant mess that was now Chris's bed.

"Damnit. We got too carried away," I said as I rolled on to my back. It took a lot of effort to even just do that.

Tom kissed my lips gently and tucked my sweaty hair behind my ear. "Want me to get the shower going for you? I'll clean this up."

"How are you able to even think about moving?"

He laughed and tried to stand up, but had to wait a second for his legs to stop shaking. "I almost can't. I mean...wow. I've never seen you like that."

"I haven't had sex in months. I thought I was going to go fucking insane," I told him as he went to go run the shower.

I heard him chuckle as the water turned on. It took me 3 tries to stand up, and my legs were still shaking as I walked to the bathroom. Thankfully, Chris's shower had a seat built into the wall, and I waited for Tom to join me before I tried to stand on my own again.

After our shower, we got into the freshly made bed and turned off the lights on the bedside tables. Tom spooned me from behind, something he rarely did since it was usually Chris who did that, and I sighed as my body relaxed into his.

"I really missed this," he said quietly. "I missed being here with you and Chris and Dodger. I felt sort of lost while I was filming, like a part of me was missing."

"Imagine how I felt without either of you. Maybe I would have done okay if just one of you were gone, but having both of you gone at once was complete and utter hell."

He sighed and snuggled closer to my body. "I'm sorry, darling. Hopefully that doesn't happen again anytime soon." 

I felt Dodger join us on the bed then, and he curled against the front of my body. I was quiet for a minute, not really feeling like I wanted to sleep yet even though I had to be up early for work.

"I feel like you keep going to say something but then keep stopping yourself. What's wrong?" he asked, his hands gently stroking my body.

"I don't know. I just miss Chris I guess. I know he said this was okay with him for us to do this but I feel sort of bad he wasn't here."

"Me too."

"Did we betray him?"

He was quiet for a minute. "Are you feeling like you...cheated on him because he wasn't here with us?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Which is silly because he told us to do it and that he was okay with it and he even saw some of it. I guess I'm just more used to having the both of you."

"The three of us have been spending a lot of time together."

I got quiet again. "I like when it's the three of us."

Tom let out a sigh of relief like he had been holding his breath. "Honestly? Me too. I'm really happy you said that. Sometimes I feel like I'm encroaching on your relationship with him, and I've wondered if we should end this...whatever this actually is. I don't even know what to call it."

I brought his hand up to my lips and kissed it. "I'm not sure how Chris feels, but I know he tries to include you in a lot of what we do together. I don't want this to end."

He stroked my wet hair back from my face and kissed the side of my head gently. "Me neither."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo....what did we think? We're sort of starting to dive a bit into possible throuple territory here...what is everyone's thoughts?
> 
> Comments make me happyyyyyyy!!!


	43. Chapter 43: "Please tell me you aren't cheating on Chris in his own house and bed with Tom..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit hits the fan a little bit as Max finds out about Tom and Evie and immediately assumes the worst. But when Evie tells Max the truth, Max doesn't take the news the way Evie hoped she would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeahhhhhh...so this isn't gunna be a very happy chapter until the very end..
> 
> I'm sorry in advance and also sorry this is a short one!

Chris would be home tomorrow night, and Tom and I were spending the evening cleaning the house from top to bottom. The last time I had done a deep clean had been before I had gotten sick...even before the guys left so it was long overdue.

Dodger was being a good boy and laying on the couch with his toy lions while we cleaned. Tom was dusting the living room while I cleaned the floors in the entryway and hallway. We had already eaten and changed into comfortable clothes. I had put on a pair of yoga pants that Tom had gotten me months ago with a Captain America tank top.

Tom kept purposely going past the entryway to the living room to look at me in the hallway because he said my ass looked so damn good in these pants that he just couldn't help himself.

We were blasting music through bluetooth speakers in the kitchen which were hooked up to my phone, and currently I had a playlist of Cardi B and Lizzo rotating.

Since the other night, Chris had called us several times a night trying to get us to have sex again so he could watch. He was successful, of course. He was a terrible influence. He had told us it was okay for us to do what we wanted until he got home as long as we told him.

I still felt a little bad, but...I had been like a sex-crazed lunatic the past few days. I couldn't help it!

And now Tom was wearing just a pair of sweatpants to clean and he was all sorts of tempting.

'Truth Hurts' started playing and I cheered and started singing and using the mop as a prop to sing into like a mic and dance. Tom stopped dusting and laughed, leaning against the couch to watch me make a fool of myself. I moved my hips to the beat and watched his eyes fill with lust.

I kept dancing, swinging my hips in what I hoped was a sexy way, when Chris's front door suddenly opened and Max and Seb walked in. I stopped in my tracks, feeling my face blush in embarrassment since they had just caught me dancing and singing with a mop.

Tom had seen me stop and came to the edge of the living room to see what had happened. He waved at Max and Seb before carefully stepping to the kitchen to turn off the music.

"Wait," I said to Max and Seb. Dodger had just jumped off the couch too. "Dodger, stay," I told him and then looked at Max and Seb. "Please take your shoes off. I just mopped. Think you can jump from the foyer to the living room?" I asked.

Max and Seb took their shoes off and jumped carefully over to the living room and greeted Dodger.

"I didn't know Tom was back. We thought we'd pop by and see how you were since you haven't been home all week," Max said as Tom and I both stepped into the living room.

"Tom got back a few days ago. He offered to help me deep clean the house if I provided him with food," I explained. "Plus, I didn't come home because I was trying to give you two some space."

They both raised their eyebrows at me.

"Space?" Seb said.

I blushed and laughed awkwardly. "Well, like...you guys were having a lot of sex. Our house is small, dude, and I'm not deaf," I said as Max got a weird look on her face as if wondering how I'd known.

"Sorry, bud," she said, hugging me to her.

"She's just jealous because she wasn't getting any ass because her man is gone," Seb teased.

I rolled my eyes and smacked his arm. "Ass."

Max looked at me for a second and then Tom, as if suddenly noticing he was shirtless. "So is Tom staying the night?" she asked curiously.

I shrugged. "Probably. It's already almost 8. We've cleaned everything we could think of. We were thinking of putting a movie in. Do you guys want to join us?"

"What are you gunna watch?" Seb asked.

I met Tom's eyes. "Umm..." I crinkled my nose at Tom, making him smile and stick his tongue out at me. "Actually, maybe we'll just watch 'The Office'. Tom hasn't seen the last season yet."

"Yuck. Pass," Max said and Seb laughed. "I hate the last season of 'The Office'. It's real rough."

"Fine. We can go out to that new bar you've been wanting to try," Seb offered.

Max smiled at him, and it was one of those smiles that lit up a room. "Sure." She turned to me. "Do you have a scarf I can borrow? It's cold."

"Of course. I have some downstairs."

She followed me down the steps and the guys stayed upstairs with Dodger. I opened Chris's closet to show her the 4 scarves I had hung up on the back of the door. When I turned to her, she was looking at Tom's shirt...which had been discarded on Chris's unmade bed earlier. I watched her eyes move over to the folded and clean bedding I had in a basket by the end of the bed. I wanted to smack myself as I realized Tom's clothes were thrown around the floor by his duffle bag.

And worst and most damning of all, a bottle of lube had fallen to the floor by the nightstand.

Fuck. Fucking motherfucker!

I watched realization come across her face, and she turned to me with a look of such...almost disappointment in her eyes.

"Bud, please tell me this isn't what it looks like."

I bit my lip. "This is not what it looks like." God, I had been so stupid to bring her down here!

"Really, Eve, because this looks pretty bad," she said. "Please tell me you aren't cheating on Chris in his own house and bed with Tom. Because that's what I'm seeing."

I was thankful she was keeping her voice down so the guys wouldn't come down here. I crossed my arms under my chest and walked closer to her. "Look...Max, you know I love Chris. I would never cheat on him-"

"I cannot believe that you of all people are standing here and lying straight to my face."

"I'm not lying." I rubbed my face with my hands. "Okay look...the truth is that...Chris knows about this. He's okay with it."

"How...Evie, what the fuck? Are you dating both of them?"

The judgment in her voice had me flinching. "Not exactly. Tom and I have never...whenever we do anything, Chris is always there-"

"Hold on a second," she hissed quietly. "You're having regular threesomes with them both?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, like you've never had a threesome."

"Not as more than a one time thing. How long has this been going on?"

"Um...since my birthday."

Max sat on the edge of the bed.."I knew something was up. I knew it. The three of you are always hanging out together. Tom went on vacation with you guys. He flew back here when you were in the hospital not caring if he got in trouble, and I see how he looks at you. I just thought he still had a crush on you. I didn't know it was...well this."

I hated the look of judgement on her face. "We agreed and promised not to tell anyone. We don't want the media getting wind of it because the shit will hit the fan. It's never been just Tom and I before...Chris has always been there. But the past few days, Chris encouraged us to..."

Max was shaking her head. "Eve, I can't believe you didn't tell me. And, honestly, I can't believe you agreed to this..."

Tears came to my eyes. "This is why we never told anyone. No one would understand-"

"Bud, I understand very well. But I also know that eventually this is going to crash and burn on you. You're going to get hurt."

I wiped my face, now feeling angry at her. "You don't know that. You don't know what it's like with the three of us. How could you say that?"

"I'm trying to make you realize that eventually...Tom's going to want more. And how can you give him more when you and Chris are in love? You can't love them both. Your heart is going to get irreparably broken. I don't want to see that happen to you."

"Max, you don't get it. You don't understand...and that's fine. But please don't tell anyone else. I'm begging you."

Max stood up and grabbed a random scarf from the closet. "Fine." She walked toward the steps.

"Are you seriously pissed at me?"

"I don't know what to think of you right now," she said, which was like a slap to my face as she ascended the steps.

I heard her and Seb say bye to Tom, and then I walked back upstairs.

"Are you okay?" Tom asked, noting my abrupt change of mood.

"No. Um...Max knows. I forgot all your stuff was all over the room."

Tom's face dropped. "Shit."

"She immediately assumed I was cheating on Chris with you."

"Double shit. I'm guessing you then told her the truth."

"What choice did I have?"

"There wasn't one. You had to tell her. Did she not take it well?"

"No. Not at all."

He sighed and walked forward to wrap me up in his arms. "I'm sorry, love."

"Me too. This is why we didn't want to tell anyone but...what else could I have done? It looked so bad."

Tom was quiet. "She won't tell anyone...will she?"

"No. Of course not."

He gently kissed my head. "Let's just...try to cheer up. Want to watch 'The Office'? I'll make popcorn."

"Deal."

But not even 'The Office' or all the cuddles in the world from Tom and Dodger cheered me up.

I had never felt so judged in my whole life. And the fact that it was coming from my best friend was absolutely crushing me.

***

The next day at work, Max barely even said two words to me. I was so hurt. I'm not sure what I thought she would think of the situation when she found out, but I didn't think it would be...this. I thought maybe she'd say she didn't understand it at all but supported me or...something.

I don't know.

If things were good between the three of us and we were happy...what the fuck was so wrong with that?

***

I didn't bother going to my house after work because I didn't want to confront Max. I was being a chicken shit and running from my problems instead of facing them head on. I didn't care.

Chris was coming home tonight, and I was going to make us a nice dinner. Tom had gone back to his apartment so Chris and I could have some alone time for a few days.

When I got home, I let Dodger out. It was now nearing the month of May and it was starting to get much warmer out now so I left the glass door open to let some fresh air in. I started playing music and cooking up a batch of stir fry with rice, chicken, shrimp, broccoli, peppers and onions in it and pretty soon the house smelled wonderful.

As I was adding more stir fry sauce to the pan, I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye and turned to see Chris standing in the kitchen.

He was early. I had been expecting him back in about another 2 hours, but here he was. He was wearing a pair of old ripped jeans, a wrinkled t-shirt, a pair of Nikes, and a ball cap. I knew he had had to shave his beard for this role, but his face now had a few days worth of stubble on it. He looked absolutely exhausted, but the smile on his face when he saw me made my heart leap with joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh I know I'm mean for leaving it at a bit of a cliffhanger. Don't kill me!!
> 
> Comments, please?


	44. Chapter 44: "We just fucked with the back door wide open."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie welcomes Chris home. Max and Evie finally have their talk. Time skips ahead to the summer and all the fun it brings with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...I wrote this chapter a long time ago, and not sure where my head was at when I wrote this. I don't love it. There's time jumps, it's a little choppy, but I also don't know HOW to fix it. I'm sorry guys! I promise next week's update isn't like this but...
> 
> hey...at least there is smut at the beginning and the end?!

Dodger beat me to him, launching himself at Chris and licking all over his face.

My heart burst with joy again as I watched them. Chris went down to the floor on one knee to put Dodger down and kept hugging him and kissing his furry head.

It was quite a few minutes before Dodger was done with his attack, and then he ran back outside to enjoy more time in the warm weather.

Chris stood back up. "Hey."

My heart fluttered in my chest. "Hey."

We met in the middle of the kitchen, and he picked me up, squeezing my ass in his hands as I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his shoulders. Our lips met in a heated kiss, and he stumbled forward to set me down on the counter.

I whipped the hat off of his head, and pushed his t-shirt up and over his head, breaking the kiss so I could fling it across the room. He pulled the tank top off of me and had my bra off in seconds. Our hands were blurs of motion as we hastily tried to get the rest of our clothes off as fast as possible.

His pants only made it down to mid-thigh, and one of my legs was definitely still stuck in my leggings and underwear, but neither of us even cared. He entered me in one hard, swift motion, taking my breath away and making my back arch and my head hit against the cabinet.

Chris laughed and pulled me closer to the edge of the counter as his hips continued to drive into me, making me moan loudly. My nails dug into his biceps as my hands gripped his arms. He'd been training for this role for awhile and I'd been dying to get my hands on him since he'd been home taking care of me. He kept one hand in a tight grip on my hip while the other reached up to tangle into my hair, tugging on it harshly and making me gasp as he attached his lips to my neck.

We were mad with need, and it was almost embarrassing how fast I orgasmed, but he followed right behind me, both of us yelling loudly as we finished.

His hips stilled and he leaned a hand against the cabinet above me as he panted for air. I was panting too, my head resting against his smooth chest. They'd made him shave his chest for this role...which I hated, but I knew it would grow back quickly. Italian genes and all...

"Fuck," I said. "We just fucked with the back door wide open." My eyes widened. "Shit! The food!"

Chris pulled out of me and stumbled over to the stove to turn off the burner and move the pan to rest on a burner that hadn't been on.

I sat on the counter and watched him pull his pants back up his legs....those long, thick, muscular legs. Jesus Christ.

"Baby, don't look at me like that. You know I have a quick recovery time, but it's not that quick," he said with a groan.

I blushed bright red, always forgetting how he could basically read my mind....err or rather the expression on my face and my body language. "I can't help it," I admitted with a laugh, pulling my own underwear and leggings up my legs before jumping off the counter. I picked my tank off the floor and put it on, not bothering with the bra but at least picking it up off the floor along with his shirt and hat. I set them on the counter and went to see if the food was ruined.

The food wasn't ruined, but some of the rice was stuck to the bottom of the pan so I knew I'd have to soak it overnight before I could try scrubbing it. I quickly divided the food up on two plates, and Chris helped me set the table so we could eat.

Dodger came back in, and Chris shut the door before putting more food in Dodger's bowl so he could eat too.

Chris and I sat down and started eating.

"You look exhausted, babe. How did you get home early?"

He rubbed his face. "My layover got delayed by 5 hours this morning in North Carolina so I just said fuck it and rented a car to drive back."

I raised my eyebrows. "You made really good time."

"I had a good reason to rush back home," he said, looking at me with so much love that I felt my throat close up with emotion. "I really missed you."

I put my fork down and got up from my chair. I went around the table and hugged him from the side, pressing his face against my chest as I kissed the top of his head. "I really missed you too." I stroked my fingers over his buzzed down hair and his arms wrapped around my back. A minute later he pulled me into his lap and kissed me so deeply that butterflies crept through my stomach.

"I love you."

"I love you too," I said. "Now...let's finish eating so we can go shower and maybe then you'll be ready for round 2."

He threw his head back and laughed. "You're insatiable."

"Baby, you have no idea," I whispered, a smile on my face as I leaned in to kiss him again.

Thank God he had come back on a Friday because if I had to work tomorrow...I'd be a mess.

***

Chris and I had literally spent the weekend having sex in every room and on every surface.

Not that either of us were complaining...although our friends were mad that I was hogging him all weekend.

Which is why we were heading over to his parents' house for Sunday night dinner with Dodger in the backseat of the truck. His family would be there, and so would our friends.

I wasn't really looking forward to seeing Max just yet...but...

Eventually we'd have to be around each other and get over this...but damnit, I was still really hurt and pissed off. 

I had told Chris what had happened, and he wasn't happy that anyone had found out about our arrangement, but he knew it would probably happen eventually. He was confident Max wouldn't tell anyone.

That didn't make things any easier for me though.

It didn't take us long to get to his parents' house, and Dodger bounced excitedly up the steps and nearly bowled over Lisa to get into the house.

Max and Seb pulled in right after us and so did Tom.

Let the awkwardness begin...

***

Mackie and Lizzie had shown up for dinner too which was awesome since we hadn't seen much of them lately. But they were getting married this summer!!!

We couldn't wait!

I was actually really excited for summer. Max and I both had almost the whole summer off except for the first 2 weeks (which were still in May) and then we didn't have to go back until after Labor Day!

Mackie and Lizzie are getting married in June on the beach and it was going to be a very private and small wedding. They are getting married on a private beach in New Jersey, and the rest of us are going to be renting a huge house in Point Pleasant for all of June and July. They are going to get married during the first week and then go on their honeymoon for 2 weeks and then spend the rest of the time with us. We were all really excited.

The summer was going to be great!

But...

I really needed Max and I to get over this bump.

***

After dinner was over, Lisa served dessert to everyone, and I offered to do dishes in the kitchen. I was going to ask Max to join me, but she beat me to it and offered to help.

We were quiet for several minutes as we started dishes, and I could literally feel the tension between us.

"Look," I said, knowing one of us had to break. "I know you're not happy with me. I know you're concerned about me. I know there is absolutely no way I can help you understand...but I can't do this. I can't keep tiptoeing around you at work and not coming home because I don't want to face you."

She didn't say anything, and I sighed and went back to doing dishes. When they were done, I turned to her and started talking again very quietly.

"Look, Max, please. This...arrangement makes us happy. We agreed we would end things if we needed to, or if it stopped working...but it's still working. It's been working all this time. I'm..." I got teary eyed. "I'm really happy. Really REALLY happy. Is that so wrong?"

She sighed and leaned against the counter to stand next to me. "No. It's not. I can see that you're happy. I can... I'm just worried that...if it goes sideways you're going to be absolutely shattered. And not telling anyone...not even telling your closest friends..."

"Max, this is a really...delicate situation. I wanted to tell you so many times...but I didn't know how. We're afraid to tell people. We're afraid of how they'll react. This isn't a very conventional thing."

Max rubbed her face. "Look, I don't like when stuff is strained between us either. I love you and I want you to be happy...and if you're saying you're happy then...okay. I can't say I can even begin to understand this at all, but I'll try to understand. And I will always support you and back you up."

I turned to her. "We're good?"

Max nodded, and I let out a breath I hadn't even realized I'd been holding in and hugged her tight to me.

"I hate it when we aren't talking."

"Me too," she said.

***

In the weeks that led up to our vacation and Mackie and Lizzie's wedding, Max and I were really busy with work since it was the end of the semester.

When the semester finally ended, we were able to concentrate on packing for vacation and getting dresses for the wedding.

We would leave for vacation tomorrow, and we were all very excited. Dodger was going to be coming with us which I was really happy about since I would miss that little dude if we left him for 2 months.

I made sure to get my next pack of birth control all ready so I could start the new pack and skip my period. I didn't want to have it for the wedding or for the first week of our vacation.

Things with Chris and Tom were really REALLY good. We'd all been busy, but we spent most weekends together. And then during the regular week, I would split my time evenly with being with Chris alone or spending time with Max at our place.

I was so glad we would have the rest of the summer off because I was in dire need of a long vacation.

***

The beach house was breathtaking, and it was enormous. It had more bedrooms than I could count, but I knew that only Chris, myself, Tom, Max, Seb, Lizzie and Mackie were staying here along with Dodger. I found out the rest of the houses on this large stretch of beach (about 6 houses total) were being rented by the rest of the whole Avengers gang and their families because everyone was invited to the wedding.

We had the beach all to ourselves, and our house had a giant pool in the backyard as well as a hot tub on an alcove on the roof. There was even another little alcove on the roof for sun tanning. This house was literally amazing. We weren't far from the Boardwalk which excited me because I'm a child and love the rides and arcades and aquarium. But we would have time to explore after the wedding!

***

The ceremony was breathtakingly beautiful. It was the perfect day and it wasn't very hot. There was just a little breeze and the ocean was a beautiful background to watch two of our friends marry each other.

The reception was in a giant tent that had been put up on the beach and we spent the night eating, drinking, and dancing barefoot on the sandy floor. I had even managed to sneak away with both Chris and Tom and we had chased after each other through the edge of the water.

The three of us left shortly after that since we were soaked, and when we got back to mine and Chris's room, we stripped out of our wet and sandy clothes and threw them on the floor.

I felt them watching me closely as I walked naked to the door and locked it, making sure to also turn the AC on to help cool us down. I went to the bathroom next to turn on the shower and looked back at them. "Well, are you two coming or what?"

They followed me into the absolutely enormous shower, and we washed the sand off our feet and legs. When we got out, Chris went to check on Dodger quickly which wasn't even necessary since he seemed to have stowed away next door with Hemsworth and his family. His little ones LOVED Dodger and asked if he could spend the night.

Tom and I waited for Chris to come back, and then the 3 of us got on to the bed together.

I took turns kissing both of them, and they took turns kissing their way up and down my body while the other would kiss me silly. I let my hands roam all over their bodies, loving the way their damp skin felt beneath my fingertips.

Chris's fingers entered me, and I broke my kiss with Tom to moan. "Guys," I panted out. "Please. I just...I need you."

Tom and Chris shared a look with each other like they were communicating telepathically or something. Tom moved from the bed and dug in our nightstand for a bottle of lube. He threw it to Chris, who caught it with ease, and then joined us back on the bed. 

"Darling, who do you want to be where?" Tom asked.

Chris looked at me from where he was lazily kissing my breast, and I smiled almost shyly down at him. "Can we finally try both of you fucking me at once?"

They froze and looked at each other.

"She's ready," Chris said after a moment and Tom nodded in agreement.

Before either of them could speak again, I flipped Chris on to his back and took the lube from him to coat his cock with a generous amount. I handed the lube over to Tom and then slowly slid myself down on to Chris.

His hands grabbed my hips to slowly lift me up and push me back down. I planted my knees on the bed and put my hands on his hard abs for leverage.

After a few minutes, I felt Tom get behind me and he kissed the spot on my neck behind my ear that I loved. "Lean forward and kiss Chris, darling," he said as he gently pushed me down with his hands on my back.

I kissed Chris slowly, my heart pounding as two of Tom's fingers entered my ass, spreading lube around. Chris's hands stroked over my body as Tom took his fingers away and I felt the tip of his cock pushing against that tight ring of muscles.

"Baby, relax. We're not going to hurt you," Chris murmured into my eye. I had unknowingly tightened up my body so I focused on making myself relax.

Tom pushed further in, and it didn't hurt at all, but I felt so full. Chris kissed me again until Tom was as far in as he could go, stretching me to my limits.

I leaned up a little, pushing my hands into the mattress as leverage. The three of us worked out a good rhythm with Tom pulling out as Chris thrusted in and vice versa. We were moaning loudly into the room, and when my arms started shaking from the exertion, I leaned up and Tom wrapped his arm around the front of my body.

"Good God, I'm not going to last much longer," Tom moaned into my ear.

"Same," Chris said through clenched teeth. His hand moved down to my clit and started stroking it as Tom's hands grabbed my breasts and rubbed my nipples.

I was a moaning, writhing mess. I had never felt pleasure like this before and it was almost too much.

"Please," I begged them, nearly sobbing. I don't know what I was begging for exactly, but at that moment, pleasure exploded from deep within my body like a volcano erupting. I was screaming for them, and distantly heard them both yelling out as they finished inside of me.

I fell forward against Chris's chest. "I love you," I whispered to him.

"I love you too," he said, holding me against him with one arm while the other squeezed Tom's arm. "You good?"

"Yeah," Tom said behind me, and I felt him start pulling out. I cried out, feeling the endorphins start wearing off as a sore feeling came over my lower body.

Chris pulled out of me next, but I stayed laying on his body. "Are you alright, baby?" he asked, sweeping my sweaty hair back from my face.

I slid off of him and Tom laid down on the other side of me. I grabbed both of their hands in mine and looked from one to the other. "I'm more than okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments...???


	45. Chapter 45: "...I can't do this."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie finds out some news that is going to change her relationship forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope everyone is doing well out there and being safe.
> 
> As you can see, I've updated things a bit and have finally finished this story! It's going to be 52 chapters long so we've got a few more to go yet...but thank you all SO much for being on this amazing ride with me! I honestly can't believe how far I've come with this, and I just hope you all are continuing to enjoy this all the way to the very end!
> 
> Also...I need to give a HUGE GINORMOUS shout out to my friend who has helped me with figure out a whole bunch of stuff happening in this from here on out. She's got an account on here! Here page is [Curiouserncuriouser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouserncuriouser/pseuds/curiouserncuriouser) so go check her stuff out because she is an AMAZING writer and such a great friend!!! <3 <3 <3

We'd spent the last 2 weeks hitting the boardwalk a lot, having late night bonfires on the beach, going to firework shows, going to the aquarium, having barbecues, having pool parties, and just in general having a blast. So many people from the Avengers movies were still staying in the other houses...hence why we were having so many parties.

We had also gone parasailing and whale watching.

I really loved the Jersey Shore. Actually...just beaches in general had this way of just making me feel like all was right with the world.

Mackie and Lizzie had gotten back from their honeymoon yesterday, and I knew this weekend was going to be full of more beach parties.

But there was one problem.

I was feeling like shit. I was feeling really tired and just blah the last few days, and yesterday we had gone to lunch at a new seafood place and I had never been sicker in my life.

Everyone else was down at the beach getting some surfing lessons, but I elected to stay home and take a nap instead. My stomach was still feeling weird, and I was blaming the tiredness on maybe being out in the sun too much.

The thing I couldn't shake was that no one else had gotten sick from the seafood yesterday.

As I laid in bed, I suddenly had a thought...

Could I be pregnant?

I felt my heart sink to my stomach and I sat straight up in bed. I....I mean we didn't use protection...but I was so careful with my pill packs.

"Shit," I said, and immediately got up to get dressed and found the keys to Chris's truck.

It didn't take me long to get into town and get to a supermarket. I got one pregnancy test and then went into the grocery store bathroom. I had to know now. I couldn't wait any longer...

I took the test and then sat huddled on the toilet with my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands, waiting the allotted time until the test would show the results.

Minutes later, I had my answer, and I felt my body go cold and numb with dread.

Pregnant.

I put the test back into the bag and left the restroom. I bought 4 more pregnancy tests, just wanting to be really sure, and raced back to the house.

No one else was back yet, so I set up camp in my bathroom and chugged water so I would pee again. I took all four tests...and again, I waited.

Positive.

Positive.

Positive.

Positive.

I was pregnant. 

Fuck.

***

I stayed in the bathroom for a long time before I took out my phone and called my obgyn, Dr. Powell. It was a weekend, but I called the emergency line, and within minutes my doctor was calling me back.

"Evie, what's wrong?"

"What are the chances that 5 home pregnancy tests would give you false positives all at the same time?"

She was silent. So quiet that I actually thought she hung up.

"Hello?" I asked.

"I'm here. You took 5? And they're all positive?"

"Yes."

She sighed over the phone. “You’re pregnant. You’ll have to come in for a blood test to officially confirm it, but you are. What other symptoms are you experiencing right now?”

"I've been really tired. Yesterday I thought I had food poisoning from seafood, but no one else got sick...just me."

"Can you come in today?"

"I'm on vacation in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. We'll be here for about another month. Can you recommend anyone?"

I heard her typing in the background. "Yes. Dr. Kirsten Martz. She's in Brick which isn't far from you. She's a personal friend of mine. I can call her now and get her to fit you in on Monday."

"Okay great." I sighed. "How could this have happened? I'm on the pill..."

"Things happen. The pill isn't always 100% effective. Sometimes antibiotics can interfere-"

"Shit," I cursed. "I was on antibiotics in May because I had gotten a cold that had turned into bronchitis."

She sighed. "Your primary care physician should have warned you that it could basically cancel out the birth control."

I felt tears come to my eyes. "Um yeah that would have been nice to know."

"Are you okay?"

"No," I choked out. "No. I have a big problem. I um...I don't know who the father is."

"Shit," she quietly cursed. "Sorry that was really unprofessional. Um...look, Evie, go to the doctor on Monday and we'll go from there okay? It's going to be alright. In the meantime, just...stop taking the pill. Okay?"

I sighed, feeling more tears spill out of my eyes. "Thanks. I'll talk to you Monday after I see Dr. Martz."

"Yes, call me after that appointment."

"I will. Thank you. Bye."

We hung up, and I let myself slide down the wall to the floor before I lost it.

***

Half an hour later, I was still sitting in the bathroom when there was a knock at the door. I jumped with a start and wiped my face.

"Just a sec!" I yelled, stumbling to my feet to try and hide the boxes and tests and only successfully managed to sprawl them all over the floor.

"Evie, it's me." It was Max. "Are you okay?"

My lip quivered as I started crying all over again. "No."

"Let me in. Lizzie is here too."

I hesitated for a moment, but then opened the door and let them in before sliding back to the floor with my head in my hands.

"Hey, are you still sick? What's- Oh, fuck," Lizzie said, seeing the pregnancy tests scattered all over the floor.

Max was already next to me on the floor, pulling me to sit between her legs so I could cry against her chest. Her clothes were still damp from her bathing suit beneath them, but I didn't care.

Lizzie sat next to us and rubbed my back soothingly.

The two of them sat and let me cry for a while until I felt like I had no more tears left in me. "What am I going to do?"

"You don't know who the father is do you?" Lizzie suddenly asked, shocking me so much that my jaw actually dropped. She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please...do you really think Mackie and I haven't noticed? We're not stupid. The 3 of you are constantly together. Plus, Tom stays at Chris's ALL the time. And...the morning after our wedding I caught him leaving your room in just a pair of underwear. He didn't think anyone was around but I had just rounded the corner and his back was to me."

"We didn't want anyone to know-"

"I know. It's okay. I understand completely....I mean I don't understand the err....relationship, but I get wanting it to be private. Mackie and I haven't said anything to anyone. I promise."

"Thank you," I said to her and then looked at Max.

"This is what I was afraid would happen," Max said.

"Max, please. I know. I know...go ahead and say 'I told you so'. This is so fucked up. I can't even...I'm not sure..." I stopped trying to talk and quickly moved to the toilet to dry heave, although there was really nothing in me to throw up.

I laid my head against my arm which was resting on the toilet seat. Lizzie had gotten up and was now putting a cold washcloth on the back of my neck.

"Is this morning sickness? It's not even morning," Max said.

"I think it's just stress, but some women throw up all the time...not just the morning," Lizzie said.

I closed my eyes. "What am I going to do?"

"You have to talk to Chris," Max said.

"And Tom too, but...probably Chris first," Lizzie added.

"Are they still surfing?"

"Yeah, but I can go get Chris for you," Lizzie offered. "He was actually getting out of the water for a break when we started heading in here to check on you."

"Please."

She nodded and left the bathroom. I got up and flushed the toilet, brushed my teeth, and cleaned the tests off of the floor.

"Bud-"

"Max, please, I just...I know. I fucked this up so bad. I just...I need you to be here for me. I can't hear you say 'I told you so' right now."

She pulled me into a hug. "All I was going to say was that it'll be okay and we'll get through this. I promise you."

I hugged her tight. "Thanks, bud. I love you."

"I love you too."

Max squeezed my shoulder as she pulled out of the hug and then she left the bathroom.

I wiped my face with the wash cloth and then went out to my room just as Chris was coming through the door.

"Hey, Lizzie said-" He stopped in his tracks and shut the door as he saw me. "Are you okay?"

"Um..." I walked over and locked the door. "I have to show you something."

"Baby, you're freaking me out. What's wrong?"

I took his hand and brought him to the bathroom and opened the door. He saw the pregnancy tests lined up on the sink and froze. "I found out why I've been feeling weird. I took 5 just to be like stupidly extra sure...and Monday I'm going to go to a local OBGYN to get a blood test to be super sure, but I'm pretty sure... I'm pregnant." I knew I was basically babbling by this point. And...I realized how silly it was to take 5 pregnancy tests but I had panicked!

I swallowed hard and turned to face him, expecting to see anger or fear or sadness...but I was met with...happiness. A smile was on his face. "This...I mean look, I know this is happening fast but, I mean...this is okay. Right? This is a good thing?" he said.

I dropped his hand. "Chris, no you're not getting it..." I started crying again. "I don't know...I don't even know who the father is. It could be you or Tom."

The smile dropped from Chris's face, but he immediately wrapped me up in his strong arms. "It's okay."

"This is NOT okay," I cried. "This is so fucked up. I don't know how long we have to wait until we can tell who the father is...or if we'll have to wait until the baby is born. Chris, what if it's not yours? How...god how are we going to tell your family? And my mom?"

"Baby, stop it." He pulled back to grasp my face in his hands and wiped the tears from my face. "Babe, we don't know anything yet. And honestly? If it's Tom's...I don't care. I don't care. I will still love you, and we'll go down that road when we have to. As far as what anyone else thinks...I don't care. This is okay. This is going to be okay. Please don't cry. We'll get through this. I love you more than anything in the universe. I know this isn't how we wanted this to happen...but we'll figure it out."

I let out a half sob, half laugh. "I've just told you I could be carrying another man's child, and you just...are okay with it?"

"Evie, I've spent the last 8 months showing you how much I love you. Nothing is ever going to change that. Nothing. Do you understand?"

I nodded and went on tiptoe to kiss him. "I love you so much."

He kissed me back. "I love you too." He pulled me against his body and just held me.

We stayed like that for a while until finally I pulled away. "I have to tell Tom. He needs to know too."

Chris nodded. "Do you want me to come with you?"

I shook my head. "No...at least not at first."

He nodded and kissed me. "Okay."

We went downstairs and Chris stayed in the kitchen while I went outside. I actually caught Tom as he was walking up the beach toward the house. It appeared everyone else had gone back to their own houses, so I figured that meant that Mackie, Lizzie, Seb and Max were back in our house too.

Tom was spraying the sand off his feet and legs with the small shower that was by our pool and he smiled when he saw me walk up to him.

"Hey," he said, his grin so huge and innocent that I felt my heart break. His brows furrowed and the smile disappeared. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head and looked down at my toes, crossing my arms in front of my body to grip my own elbows nervously. "Um...no."

He turned the spray of the shower off and put a hand on my shoulder, being wary not to touch me too much in case someone was watching. "What's wrong? Did you and Chris have a fight again? Or are you still sick-"

"I'm pregnant," I blurted out.

He froze, his eyes going wide. "W-what?"

"I'm pregnant," I repeated, feeling my eyes sting with tears. "When I was sick in May and on antibiotics...well, apparently that can cancel out the birth control and-"

He let go of me abruptly like I had burned him, and I lost my footing for a second before I regained my balance. "You're pregnant."

I watched as he sat heavily on a lounge chair. He didn't say anything for what felt like an hour, but I knew was only minutes. "Say something," I begged, feeling emotion make my throat tight.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked. He wasn't quite yelling...but his voice was definitely raised.

"I don't know. But the fact that this child could be yours-"

He stood up, and he looked more angry than I think I've ever seen him. "And what, Eve? What would that mean?"

Tears fell down my face. "I don't understand-"

"No you don't understand. You don't understand. God, I'm so fucking stupid. I should have stopped this ages ago. We shouldn't have kept doing this."

"What?" I gasped.

"You've just told me that you're pregnant...so if it's Chris's which...great. You two will go riding off into the sunset and live happily ever after. That much is obvious." He was yelling now, and tears were streaming openly down my face. "But if it's mine...then what? What?! Nothing changes!" he shouted at me. "I'm not stupid. It's always been Chris for you. It's always been him!"

"That's not fair," I choked out.

"No, Eve. It's not. It's not fair. Because you've just told me you could be potentially carrying my child...and if it is, I've got to watch the woman I love raise my child with another man."

"You love me?" I sobbed out.

"Yes!" he yelled. "Of course I do! Which is why I can't do this."

I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. "Tom, I'm-"

"Don't, Eve. Just don't!"

"Tom, come on, man. Don't do this. Look how upset Evie is...this isn't good for the baby," Chris suddenly said from behind me.

Tom whirled toward him. "This is your fault. You talked me into this...insane idea, and now your girlfriend is pregnant and either of us could be the father! This is so fucked up. And I love her! Chris, I can't do this. You can't expect me to be okay with this!!!"

Chris walked forward to try and grab Tom's shoulder, but Tom actually pushed him away.

"Don't touch me right now," he warned the other man.

"Tom, you're not thinking clearly right now. I know this is a shock but-" Chris started to say.

And that's where the mistake was made. Chris tried to grab Tom's arm, but Tom pushed Chris again...and this time Chris fell to the ground. I watched in slow motion as Chris's jaw ticked in anger, and before I could stop him, he got up and pushed Tom back.

I'm not sure who threw the first punch, but I was yelling for them to stop it when Seb, Mackie, Chris Hemsworth, and Robert came from out of nowhere to pull the two of them apart.

"Guys, come on. What the fuck?! We're on vacation," Robert said.

Tom spit blood on the ground, ripping away from the hold that Hemsworth and Robert had on him. "I'm leaving."

"Tom, please," I begged, reaching for him, but Max grabbed my hand to hold me back.

Tom looked at me then and I saw his eyes were red and rimmed with unshed tears. "I'm sorry, Evie. I can't do this."

And then he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes...don't come after me! I'M SORRY!
> 
> You may all yell at me in the comments!


	46. Chapter 46: "...If that love makes you happy, then you cling to it."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie tries to understand her feelings for Tom, and with some help she finally figures it out. Chris and Evie have to comfort each other without Tom, and the rest of the gang weighs in on the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I can't believe I have to even write this...but here I go.
> 
> Guys, I've been very very open from the get-go that this story was going to eventually be Chris/OFC/Tom. It's in the tags. Everything is in the tags, and I've been open and honest in notes from the very beginning.
> 
> I think we've all known this wasn't going to just be threesome territory...that it was going to eventually dive into polyamory...hell I've had that in the tags too so it's been no secret. I'm really sorry if anyone is upset about Evie not ending up with just one person...but again...I've been open and honest from the start because I wanted everyone to have a forewarning in case they were not comfortable with it or didn't agree with it.
> 
> We all have opinions and beliefs...and guys this is a fictional story. I'm sorry if some of you have gotten this far and don't agree with where it's going, but again I say until I'm blue in the face...it's been in the tags the ENTIRE time.
> 
> Anyways...
> 
> Onto other things...hope all of you who have stuck with me are still being safe and are healthy and doing okay! I know things have still been hard for many (I'm not immune to the level of fuckery this year has been causing).
> 
> I also want to take another moment to thank a friend who helped me with the rest of the story from here on out! [Curiouserncuriouser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouserncuriouser/pseuds/curiouserncuriouser) Go check her stuff out because she is an AMAZING writer and such a great friend!!! <3 <3

Chris ripped away from Mackie and Seb to grab me before I could collapse on the ground in a sobbing mess. He held me in his lap on the ground and rocked me back and forth as I cried until I was numb inside and could feel nothing.

"Chris, put her down and go clean up, mate," Hemsworth said. "Your nose is bleeding. I want to make sure it's not broken."

"Man, I can't leave her like this," I heard Chris say.

"Go," Max told him. "I've got her. Go clean up."

Chris lifted me on to a lounge chair, and Max came over and wrapped her arm around me. I waited until everyone else was gone before I turned to her, feeling like I was completely dead inside.

"I love him," I told her.

"I know, bud."

"No...I don't mean Chris. Well, I mean I love Chris...but damnit, Max. I love Tom too."

She sighed. "I know. I knew that's what you meant. I know you love them both."

I leaned on her shoulder. "My life is so fucked up. How can I possibly love two people?"

She was quiet as we sat together on that lounge chair, both of us looking out at the ocean and the waves crashing in like a storm was coming. How fitting that a storm was brewing right now. I got up from the chair, and Max let me go.

"Want me to come with you?" she asked and I shook my head in answer as I walked off the deck and down onto the sand. I left my flip flops by the deck, rolled my yoga pants up to my knees, and then started walking down the beach toward the water. I put my toes in the water, and then sat down to watch the clouds roll in.

This whole thing was so fucked up. Out of the two men, I never would have expected that it would have been Tom to fight with me and then leave over the news of my pregnancy. I had been so ready for Chris to be the one to lose it that I didn't even think twice about how Tom would react.

I leaned one arm behind me on the sand to prop me up, and let my other hand drift to my abdomen. "It's going to be okay, little bean. We'll get through this."

I swallowed hard past the emotion I felt rising back up in my throat, and was surprised when a body suddenly sat on the sand next to me.

"You okay, kid?" Robert asked. I shrugged and kept looking out at the ocean. "Look. I'll just sit here with you if you want. We don't have to talk."

Both of us were quiet for a while, but finally, I broke first. "Did he leave?"

Robert sighed. "Yeah, kid, he did. I'm sorry. I think...I think he just needs more time to process. He'll come around. He just needs time. And you'll be okay. Once everything settles and you can figure out how to tell who the father is-"

"Holy fuck... does everyone know?"

"Sweetheart, everyone's windows were open and we could all hear that fight. But I can't say it doesn't make sense. I saw the way he looked at you when we first met you-"

"We didn't want anyone to know. God, what you all must think of me. The whore who slept with 2 best friends and went and got herself fucking knocked up and caused them to beat the shit out of each other."

"Now stop it right there. Because I guarantee you that none of us think any less of the three of you. And we won't tell a soul. You know that." I didn't say anything....just kept looking out at sea. "Look, sometimes love is funny. Love finds us when we least expect it...and sometimes that love doesn't make sense to anyone else. But that doesn't mean it isn't love. That doesn't mean that other people have to like it or even accept it. Fuck whatever anyone else thinks. If that love makes you happy, then you cling to it. You hold on and you never let go. This world is fucked up, and it will chew you up and spit you out. But love...love can conquer anything."

I swallowed hard and rubbed my hands over my face. "But loving two people. That's not...that's not something that is accepted-"

"Remember when I said fuck what everyone else thinks? I meant it. Evie, I knew when I met you that you were different. Your heart is so big...so big that I bet your chest can barely contain it. It makes sense...your heart is so big that it only did what it needed in order to make you feel whole. It fell in love with two people. Do you know there is a whole polyamorous community out there where people love not just one person but two or three or even more? Do some research, kid. I think you'll be surprised."

"How can you be so sure Tom will come back?"

"Because I'm smart and know these things. It's going to take time. Don't be surprised if it takes a few weeks or even a month, but eventually he'll come to his senses. For now, take care of yourself and that baby. Everything else will fall into place precisely when it means to."

We were quiet again as the waves started crashing harder. "Robert?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Are you sure you're not a wizard?"

He laughed and hugged me from the side, kissing my temple. "Nah. I'm just really fucking smart." And with those parting words, Robert left me to sit on the beach alone again.

I sat there until the sun started to set and the waves crashed bigger and louder than before. The colors of sunset were hidden by the dark gray clouds that kept getting darker. I heard thunder in the distance and saw flashes of lightning far out at sea. It started to rain lightly, and only then did I get up and run back toward the house. I didn't want to get soaking wet right now.

The house was silent as I opened the french doors and walked in. It was late...9 pm now, and I knew that everyone must be in bed since the house was so quiet. I made my way up to mine and Chris's room and opened the door.

He was standing at the glass sliding door with it wide open and was on our little balcony watching the storm get more intense. He turned to me, and I could see he had bruises and cuts all over his face.

I went back downstairs and got a soft ice pack from the freezer and wrapped it in a dish towel before going back upstairs. I shut our door and held the ice out to Chris. He took it from me and held it to his left eye, which looked like it had the worst bruise, and winced in pain.

He was shirtless and was wearing a pair of jeans unbuttoned, and he was barefoot. His hair was damp, and he smelled faintly of soap.

I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around him from behind, peeking around his body to watch the storm and the now pouring rain.

We stood like that for a while until I could no longer take the silence.

"Chris, I love him."

He sighed and turned in my arms to face me. "Baby, I know you do."

"I love you too though."

"I know that too, and you know how much I love you. But I know the two of you love each other. I'm sorry that him and I got into a fight."

"It's okay. You were just trying to help."

He gently kissed my lips, but winced since he had a fat lip that had been bleeding earlier. "He busted my ass up real good."

I stroked his damp hair and nodded. "What if he doesn't come back?"

"Babe, he'll come back. I'm sure of it."

I kissed the soft skin of his chest, and then stripped off my pants and shirt, leaving me in just a sports bra and a pair of underwear. Chris threw the ice pack and went to his knees before me. His hands gently rubbed over my stomach, and he gently kissed just below my belly button.

"I can't believe you have a person growing inside of you," he said in pure astonishment.

"It's a little bean right now."

He laughed. "You're calling our unborn child 'little bean'?"

I laughed too because now that he said it, it did sound a bit ridiculous. The two of us laughed and laughed until the laughter gave way to tears of sorrow.

Chris stripped off the rest of our clothes and got us into bed, and the two of us kept crying until we fell asleep.

I felt incomplete without Tom in bed with us, and right now I felt like nothing would ever be right with the world again.

***

I woke up to Dodger nudging my face with his wet nose. Chris was behind me, his whole body enveloping mine like he was afraid to let me go. I heard our door click shut and realized Max or someone else had probably walked Dodger for us and then let him in here.

My head was pounding from all of the crying yesterday, and I kissed Dodger's nose and hugged him. I laid like that for a minute, just letting them both cuddle me...before the nausea hit me like a fucking freight train.

I ripped away from Chris, knocking both him and Dodger onto their backs on the bed, and heard Chris say, "What the hell?" But I was already launching myself to the bathroom and made it there literally a second before I threw up in the toilet.

Dodger ran in behind me, whining and shoving himself between my lower body and the toilet as if he could take the pain and discomfort away from me. I kept throwing up...although I hadn't eaten much yesterday so there wasn't a lot in me. My body was shaking and dry heaving and I kept gagging, but nothing else came up.

Chris came up behind me and gathered my hair into his hand, pulling it away from my face. He sat behind me on the floor and rubbed my back gently until it finally stopped. The nausea was still there, but at least I wasn't dry heaving anymore.

I collapsed back against Chris's chest and he rocked me gently while Dodger whined and climbed into my lap, laying his head on my stomach.

"I know, bud," Chris said to Dodger, patting his head. "We'll take good care of Evie."

I chuckled a little and grabbed toilet paper to wipe my mouth. "I think it finally faded now." The nausea seemed to have gone away. Chris helped me stand up so I could brush my teeth before we got dressed and went downstairs.

Max was waiting in the kitchen for me with a cup of hot tea. "It's green tea, and it's decaf. It'll help your stomach...and I think you're supposed to have decaf? But not sure."

"Actually," Scarlett said as she came through the french doors with Robert, Jeremy and Mark. "She can have one cup of a caffeinated beverage a day."

"Thank god," I muttered as I took the mug from Max.

Seb came out of nowhere with a plate of food in his hands for me. "When was the last time you ate? You gotta eat." The plate was full of eggs, bacon, and sausage, and I immediately gagged and backed away.

"Shit," Chris said, getting the garbage can under me just in time for me to dry heave and spit into it.

"Ah fuck," I said into the can as I heard several other people gag a little. "I'm sorry!"

"Seb, take that food away. I got this," Scarlett said.

Chris took the trash can away when I assured him I was okay, but I had definitely cleared the room of everyone except Max, Scarlett and Chris.

"I'm sorry!" I yelled to the others when I figured out they went into the living room.

"It's okay," Jeremy said. "A few of us just have weak stomachs."

"I only left to eat all this food," Seb said, making me laugh.

"How many people almost just threw up and you're sitting there eating a whole plate of food?" I heard Mark say in disgust. "You're sick."

"Hey, do I ever let food go to waste?" I heard Seb reply.

"After you drink some tea, drink some Gatorade next," Scarlett said. "Just to help settle your stomach a bit. When was the last time you really ate anything...like a whole meal?"

"Um...."

"Friday afternoon," Chris answered her.

"I thought I had food poisoning," I explained at the look on Scarlett's face because I could tell she was about to go into full on lecture-mode. "And by the time I figured out I was pregnant yesterday and after um...everything else..."

Max hugged me tight to her and then Lizzie and Mackie walked into the room and joined the hug.

"Well, I know it's hard when morning sickness first kicks in, but you have to try and eat something. Was it the meat that bothered you?" Scarlett asked.

I pulled away from my three friends. "Not sure if it was that or the eggs...but the smell of it all. I mean...shit."

"Okay. Let's try toast," she suggested.

Thankfully, toast with cream cheese worked. And so did a small helping of hashbrowns. I had drunk all of the tea and a bottle of Gatorade and was definitely feeling more like myself now.

"Scarlett, thank you. I feel a lot better now."

She nodded and squeezed my hand. "You'll learn quickly what is going to make you nauseous and sick even after the morning sickness is over for the day. When I was pregnant, I could only eat chicken. Red meat of any kind just wouldn't stay down until the third trimester started."

Everyone else came back into the kitchen and gathered around the big island counter. There were only 6 stools at the island counter, but I was sitting in one and so were Max, Lizzie, Scarlett, Chris and Mackie so everyone else just stood or leaned on the counter.

I got up and went to the fridge to see if I could eat yogurt, and thankfully that was fine with my stomach as well. When I turned back around, everyone was looking at me. I sighed. "So...everyone knows?"

Chris pulled me to him so I was standing between his legs. He was still way taller than me even though he was sitting since the stool was high.

"Remember our talk last night, kid?" Robert asked.

"Your talk?" Chris asked. I hadn't told him about Robert talking to me on the beach.

"I tried to explain to her that none of us think differently about the three of you. You and Tom are our family, and so is Evie. I also told her that her heart is so big that it makes sense why she loves two people," Robert explained.

Everyone was silent, and I felt a few tears fall down my face.

Max looked like she had an epiphany. "I never thought of it like that." She turned to me. "I was so ready to...I don't know I guess judge you, but when you look at it that way... Bud, I'm sorry. I love you no matter what."

"I love you too," I told her, hugging her. I went to Robert and hugged him too. Robert was like a father figure, and I really appreciated how fast he was ready to accept that I was with both men and that I loved them both.

If only Tom would come walking back in that door...then everything would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was sad..but boy was Robert's speech perfect or what? And of course all their friends are going to rally behind them. Please be assured...Tom WILL be back... (I can spoil that much at least). He just needs some time to sort out his shit...which we all need sometimes.
> 
> Please leave some comments and let me know what you think!


	47. Chapter 47: "I'm getting out and doing normal things aren't I?..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Chris are trying to find normal with Tom still gone. But both of them are having a hard time coping and can no longer hide it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Hope everyone is doing well. This chapter is...pure angst and I'm sorry! But...things will start looking up soon!
> 
> *****
> 
> I also want to take another moment to thank a friend who helped me with the rest of the story from here on out! [Curiouserncuriouser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouserncuriouser/pseuds/curiouserncuriouser) Go check her stuff out because she is an AMAZING writer and such a great friend!!!

Chris and I were in the exam room waiting for Dr. Martz. I was sitting on the table with the hospital gown on, Chris was sitting in the chair nervously shaking his leg.

"Why are you so nervous?" I asked him. "I'm the one that has a baby growing in me."

"And are you nervous?" he asked and finally stopped bouncing his leg.

"Yeeeessss, but I'm trying to hold it in like a normal person."

"Wow. That was mean."

"Just. Please...you're making me more nervous with the bouncing."

Chris laughed and stood up to kiss the side of my head. "Why are we so nervous?"

"Because we're going to be parents, dummy," I joked, slapping his arm.

Dr. Martz came into the room then, and she immediately started off by doing blood work. When the blood work showed that I was indeed pregnant, she estimated my due date from there.

"You're still very early on. Only 6 weeks along." She finished the exam and then sat with us to chat a little. "I estimate your due date to be in the beginning of February. Are you already getting morning sickness?"

"Yeah pretty bad. But it fades off sort of quickly."

She nodded and took some notes. "It'll get better in a few weeks hopefully. Just hang in there and just try to stay away from stuff that makes it worse. Stick to foods you can handle eating."

I nodded and looked at Chris who squeezed my hand in reassurance. "Um...I have a question."

"Of course. I figured you may have some questions."

"How early can a paternity test be done?" I asked, biting my lip nervously.

She blinked. "Oh, my goodness. I'm sorry. I assumed that Chris was-"

"It's fine," he told her.

"Well, um...it could be Chris's or it could be...someone else's," I muttered softly.

She nodded. "So the earliest is about 10 weeks."

I nodded, feeling myself getting choked up. I wiped my eyes. "Okay thank you." She looked apologetic at me. “Do you do an ultrasound today so we can see the baby?” I asked.

Dr. Martz shook her head. “We don’t do ultrasounds this early. If we did one now, all you’d see is this little blip on the screen. We’ll do one in about 2 or 3 weeks. I’ll leave you two be and when you come out, we’ll set up the next appointment.”

I nodded and she left, leaving Chris and I alone. I stood up from the exam table and Chris went to his knees and grabbed my hips with his hands. He kissed my stomach gently over the gown, and I felt more tears stream down my face.

"Little blip," he whispered. “I wish we could have seen you.”

I ran my fingers through Chris's hair and rested a hand on my stomach. "I'm going to change," I said before moving over to where my clothes were folded nicely on the counter.

When I was done, Chris pulled me into his arms. "Are you okay?" he asked...almost unnecessarily since he already knew the answer.

I shook my head, feeling my eyes well up with tears. "He should have been here," I said, but pulled myself back together. "Come on. Let's go. I want to get back to the house and do some normal things today like go swimming or collect sea shells."

He kissed me softly. "We can do normal."

Dr. Martz told me a few more things I should do like regular exercise but not to overdo it and to try and eat healthy (she gave me TONS of pamphlets that told me what foods to avoid) but she knows that's hard with cravings or when everything makes you sick. She told me about cutting caffeine way down and about some vitamins to take, and she gave us a ton of pamphlets to read through.

We made our way back to the beach house after stopping and picking up a shit ton of food that we thought I could handle, and after that, we went back to being normal.

***

Being normal, it turns out, is harder than it sounds.

It's been 3 weeks since we found out I was pregnant, and we only had 2 weeks left of being at the beach house.

Chris and I were trying very hard. So very hard to be normal. But really, sadness was eating me up inside. I made sure I ate and exercised, and I made sure I took care of myself for the baby. I put on a brave face. I went out with everyone...swimming, to the zoo, to the boardwalk, to the aquarium, to the beach... I did everything.

But I was slipping. I could not keep pretending to be fully happy when inside, my world felt like it was falling apart.

Chris and I were also supposed to go to the premiere of 'Wonder Woman: 1984' in L.A. (as part of my Christmas gift), but I just wasn't up to it. Gal understood and had actually video chatted with Chris and I. She was literally the nicest person ever! I was bummed we didn't get to go...but I just couldn't.

***

Today we were all going to the beach again. It felt good to sit in the sun everyday with the ocean breeze blowing through my hair.

It was fun to watch the kids playing... Scarlett, Hemsworth, and Pratt's kids all got along very well.

Chris LOVED playing with them, and I loved watching him. He was really going to be a good dad.

I was sitting under a huge canopy the men had set up for everyone to have a space to sit in the shade. Lizzie and Max were next to me, as usual. The two of them had been sticking close to me the past few weeks for which I was very glad. Scarlett was sitting with us now too since she wanted a break from swimming.

"How have you been feeling?" Scarlett asked me once she settled into her seat.

"I can only stand to eat chicken still...not red meat. I can't take the smell of eggs. But I haven't had any other bad reactions to other food yet unless it has a strong smell. But I was able to eat fish fine. The morning sickness sucks still."

"That's not what I meant," she said.

I suddenly had Scarlett, Max, Seb, Lizzie and Mackie all watching me closely. I sighed heavily and looked out toward the water. "I'm getting out and doing normal things aren't I? I'm taking care of myself-"

"That doesn't mean you're not hurting on the inside," Scarlett said.

I swallowed hard and sat up to turn my back to them. I switched out my prescription glasses with my prescription sunglasses and then got up. "Guys, please. I'm trying. I'm trying so hard. I'm being as normal as I know how to be. But honestly, I've got this gaping whole inside of me, I'm trying to be strong for my little blip, for Chris...hell even for me. I'm really trying, okay? I can't talk about this right now or I'm going to just fucking fall apart," I said as I slid a large t-shirt over my head and put my hat on.

I walked out of the canopy and started walking down the beach, not realizing that Chris had actually heard every word I had said to my friends.

As I walked, I stayed close to the water line, letting the waves wet my feet and ankles and occasionally splashing higher. I wrapped my arms around my body and thought about all the fun we had had, just Tom, Chris and I, all those days on the beach before it all crashed and burned.

No one had heard from Tom or had been able to contact him. He wasn't answering any of my calls or texts, which I figured, but for him not to answer anyone's...I was worried.

What if...what if he never came back?

When I made sure no one from my friend group could see me any longer, I let myself sit down at the edge of the water and cried like I had never cried before. The waves washed over me, mixing my tears with the sea, and my sobs were covered by the loud waves and the wind.

I finally let myself fall totally and completely apart with the ocean there as my anchor.

I cried until my head ached, until my voice became hoarse, until I was drenched from the waves washing over me. I cried until the waves carried me out into waist deep water, and only then did I finally stand up and walk back up the sand. I was a mess of sand and seaweed, but I didn't care. I walked slowly back to our beach house, noticing that everyone seemed to have packed up for the day, and I didn't see anyone lingering outside of the other houses.

When I walked up to the house I was staying in, I showered off in the stall by the pool and hung my drenched t-shirt over a lounge chair along with my hat. I found a semi-clean towel on a table and dried off with it.

The sun was setting when I walked back into the house, and Seb, Max, Lizzie and Mackie all were cooking in the kitchen and stopped to look at me.

"Where were you? You've been gone for hours," Lizzie said, pushing a plate of chicken tacos to me.

I sat down and added what I wanted to the tacos. "I went for a swim."

"For 4 hours?" Seb asked, with his eyebrow raised. "Are you nuts?"

I watched Max hit him in warning out of the corner of my eye as I started devouring the tacos. I ate 5 tacos before I felt better.

"Do you feel better?" Max asked. She'd known where I'd gone and what I'd been doing.

"No. But it felt good to let the mask slip for a little while," I explained, making the other 3 furrow their eyebrows in confusion. I got up and put my dish in the sink. "Let Max explain it to you."

I went upstairs to go get a real shower, but stopped when I got near my bedroom door, which was cracked open, and heard Chris crying and talking.

"Tom, man, please. I know I've left this same message 10 times already, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry for our fight. Just come back. We want you to come back. Evie is hurting...and honestly so am I. The 3 of us...look, man, I don't know...I just know that it's better when you're here. Both of us are better when you're here. I know you love Evie...it's okay. It's fine. I don't care! We can...." He paused and cleared his throat. "We can make this work. The three of us can make this work. Just...come back. Evie needs you...dude, I need you. I can't do this without you. I'm trying to be strong for her but I'm freaking out." He paused again. "It doesn't have to be like this. Evie....she really has strong feelings for you. And no matter which of us is the father..." He trailed off and sighed. "I'm sorry." His voice was cracking now through the tears. "I'm sorry." He must have hung up then because I heard the phone fall on the ground.

My heart ached, and I was so conflicted. Did I go to him or did I let him break down alone like I had done?

But after a sob ripped from his chest, I had my answer. I pushed the door open and closed it behind me and locked it. I went straight to the bed and sat next to him, pulling the upper half of his body into my lap.

He rolled on to his stomach and wrapped his arms around my hips, resting his face against my stomach as he cried. I leaned back against the headboard and gently rocked him and rubbed my hands down his back. Dodger joined us on the bed and laid his head on Chris's back and rested his one paw there too. Dodger and I both held Chris until he had no more tears left to cry and fell to sleep on my stomach.

I ran my hands through his hair and over his back for another 10 minutes before my bladder alerted me that either I had to get out of this bed now or pee in this very spot. I somehow lifted Chris's upper body up and slid out from under him. I gently placed a pillow under him, and he made a noise before settling back in.

After I went to the bathroom, I took a long hot shower and dressed in one of Tom's shirts that I'd stolen months ago and a pair of yoga pants. I let Chris sleep and took Dodger for a long walk on the beach. Eventually, I let him run loose and he played with the edge of the water and had a blast chasing the birds.

When darkness fell, I whistled for Dodger and he came running back to me. We went back up to the house, said goodnight to everyone, and then both of us crawled back into bed with Chris. He was laying on his side, and Dodger curled against the front of his body so I laid behind him and spooned his body with mine.

It didn't take long to fall asleep with the sound of the waves crashing outside our windows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well??? I know that this was a really sad one and I'm sorry.
> 
> Hope you still enjoyed it and getting a look into what Chris thinks of the relationship between the three of them. It broke me to have Chris break like that and I really cried writing it.
> 
> Comments? Please? They give me lifeeeeeee!!


	48. Chapter 48: "I can't forgive myself."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom finally comes back, and our trio navigate through a lot of emotions and settle into spending much needed time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. Hope you're all continuing to be safe. We don't have very many chapters left of this now...this is the first thing I've written in a longgggg time and have been able to finish and I'm so proud of it! I really hope you guys like how everything works out.
> 
> *****
> 
> I also want to take another moment to thank a friend who helped me with the rest of the story from here on out! [Curiouserncuriouser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouserncuriouser/pseuds/curiouserncuriouser) Go check her stuff out because she is an AMAZING writer and such a great friend!!!

When I woke up the next morning, I was shocked to see Chris AND Tom talking on the balcony outside our room. They weren't yelling, but I could see from the body language that they weren't having a happy conversation.

I walked to the door in just Tom's t-shirt and undies since I had abandoned the bra and pants sometime in the middle of the night. "Tom..." I said before I could stop myself.

Both men turned to me. Chris had a very serious expression on his face, and I couldn't tell if he was angry, upset, or both. And Tom? He truly looked like he'd been up all night. I'd never seen his hair looking so unkempt. He hadn't shaved in what looked like weeks, his clothes were wrinkled and smelled strongly of alcohol, and he was pale.

He was about to say something when he noticed I was wearing his shirt, and I watched as tears came to his eyes.

I opened my mouth to say something, but all that came out was a gasp and I whirled around and ran for the bathroom. I made it there just in time.

Chris followed me in and took my hair and put it up with a loose hair tie I now kept on the bathroom sink for all of my mornings. He sat behind me and rubbed my back, and Dodger stuck to my other side like glue.

This morning's bout was particularly bad, and I threw up for what felt like 20 minutes straight before the symptoms seemed to ease back just a little.

"God help me," I cried, having tears actually fall down my face. I HATED throwing up. Hated it with every fiber of my being. I couldn't wait until this morning sickness crap was over because this was truly awful.

I heard the sink turn on, and turned my head to see Tom wringing a washcloth out. He knelt down next to Dodger and pressed the cloth against the back of my neck. The cold felt so good there, and when I picked my head up to look at him, he took the cloth and ran it over my face.

I couldn't believe he was here. I couldn't believe that he had finally come back. I just hoped that...he was here to stay.

"Thanks," I said to both men as Chris flushed the toilet. They both helped me stand up and I brushed my teeth quickly.

When I was done, I walked over to Tom and grabbed his hand. He finally met my eyes, and his eyes were rimmed red with tiredness and unshed tears.

"I'm sorry," he said before he fell to his knees in front of me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his head against my stomach and cried.

I looked back at Chris and he nodded at me. I slid down to my knees so Tom and I could be face to face. "Why did you leave me....us?" 

He wiped his eyes and pulled himself together. "I was scared. I was so scared that if the baby turns out to be Chris's that this would well and truly be over. I was scared because I truly love you. I was scared because...because I need you, both of you, in my life in a way that I didn't understand until the past few weeks without you. And I was scared that if the baby was mine...that it wouldn't matter-"

"Wouldn't matter?" I felt my throat clogging up with emotion and my eyes blurring with tears. "It matters. Everything....all of it. You...YOU matter. Tom, I um...realized that day when you left that I..." I swallowed hard. "I love you. I have loved you. I love you both. I need you both. I can't do this without the both of you... It doesn't...it doesn't matter who the father is as long as this baby is healthy and happy. I don't care."

"You love me?"

"Yes, you dummy. Yes! I think I have for a while but I just...I didn't understand. I didn't understand until I watched you leave and you took half of my heart with you."

"I'm so sorry. I left and...I went back home to England. I was so stupid. I went on an almost 3 week bender until my mom finally helped me come to my senses 2 days ago. I was drunk and my own mother dragged me home and threw me in her swimming pool. She..." I watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. "She helped me realize how stupid I'd been. I'd left the only thing that's truly made me happy in years because I was letting fear control me. I'm so sorry, Evie, please forgive me. I hope you can both forgive me."

I looked back at Chris, and he walked over to us both. He helped us both stand, and then brought us both into a hug. The three of us hugged each other and I kissed both of them until tears gave way to smiles.

"I have one more thing to address," I said, making them both look at me with serious expressions. I raised an eyebrow. "You need a shower," I told Tom and he laughed, his face radiating with joy.

My heart ached with an emotion I couldn't describe. I felt bad that he looked so...lost...but the happiness in his eyes was slowly coming back, and I knew it would get better with more time.

***

The three of us spent the whole day in our room talking, only leaving to get food. Max offered to watch Dodger for the day, knowing the 3 of us really needed to talk things out.

I didn't know what I would do if I hadn't had Max with me the last few weeks. Chris had been doing the best he could, but sometimes there was nothing like having your best friend there trying to help you catch the pieces of your shattered heart and help you glue them back together. I was eternally grateful for her.

Tom, Chris, and I spent many hours talking. Talking, yelling....and crying.

But I think we finally reached a turning point when I told Tom about my conversation with Robert the night he left.

Currently, the three of us were lounging on the bed with 'The Office' playing in the background, but I kept nodding off. The guys were actually laying with their heads in my lap. Tom moved his head to my stomach and kissed it gently, stirring me from sleep again.

I looked down at him, noticing he didn't look as pale as he had earlier. He had shaved too. His hair was still long and wavy, but he said he wanted to leave it longer for a little while because he knew I loved it like that. I smiled down at him and ran my fingers through his hair.

Chris was looking between us both and smiling. "We didn't show him little blip," he said before getting out of bed.

Tom sat up and furrowed his eyebrows. "Little blip?"

Chris nodded and went to grab his phone since he had taken a picture of the ultrasound screen with it. He sat back in bed, and I crossed my legs beneath me and watched Chris hand the phone to Tom.

Tom's face filled with wonder and joy. "Is this...is this the baby?" I nodded at him, and his fingers ran gently over the image. "It's so tiny," he whispered, running his fingers over the phone again and then my stomach. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"There will be plenty more appointments," I told him. "And you can come to every single one of them. We're in this together...the three of us...well, actually 4 of us. You, me, Chris and even Dodger."

"And baby makes 5," Tom said, keeping his hand on my stomach. "How small is the baby right now?"

I showed him an article I had found on my phone. "Week 9...baby is the size of a cherry."

Both men smiled at me, and I felt my heart melt.

***

Chris, Tom, and I decided we needed some more time together to be away by ourselves with Dodger. After everyone left 2 weeks later, we extended our stay by another 2 weeks.

The first night we were alone, the three of us went out to dinner at a beautiful seafood restaurant where we sat at a table outside right on the water.

I dressed myself in an above the knee, off the shoulder teal colored dress that was super soft and made out of cotton. I put on a cute pair of tan wedges that were about 2 inches high, let my hair dry wavy and natural, and added some make-up. I added a silver necklace that had a little charm of Loki's helmet on it and a silver bangle bracelet that had a small version of Cap's shield on it. Both men had gotten them for me for Valentine's Day, and I knew they loved when I wore them together. I added plain silver studded earrings, and decided I was ready.

When I met the guys downstairs, I was pleasantly surprised that they had dressed up a little bit too.

Chris had dressed in a pair of light wash jeans and a matching jean button up with a crisp white t-shirt underneath. He had rolled up the bottom of the pants just a little to the ankle, and his sleeves were rolled up almost to the elbow. He was wearing a pair of old school Adidas with black stripes, and a pair of aviator sunglasses on his face and his hair was styled how he usually wore it. Anyone else would have looked ridiculous in the outfit, but Chris put male models to shame since every muscle in his body was perfectly on display.

Tom was dressed in a pair of charcoal gray shorts that were on the dressier side, a light blue polo that he'd left unbuttoned, and a pair of black sandals. He'd gotten his hair cut last week so it was shorter, but it was still on the longer side...just not quite as long as it was when he did his play 'Betrayal'. He'd also opted to leave his prescription glasses on instead of contacts.

They looked devastatingly handsome, and from the expressions on their faces when I walked down the steps, I knew they thought I looked beautiful. I truly felt beautiful.

"Wow," Chris said, taking my hand and spinning me around. The dress was an a-line style dress so the fabric moved and twirled with me.

Since it was off the shoulder, I'd had to be creative with my bra choice, which I figured out quickly that nothing would work, so I went to my trusty ol' tape bra like I wore with cosplay outfits. 

"You look absolutely stunning, darling," Tom said, taking my other hand and kissing it.

I blushed and giggled like a teenage girl. "Thank you."

Both of them took a turn kissing me, and then Chris went to make sure Dodger had enough food and water and we were off to dinner.

***

The restaurant we had chosen was an extremely popular one that was hard to get into unless you called ahead. We were seated quickly on the outside deck. Usually they would put big pieces of plastic up to protect their customers from the wind and hot sun, but since it wasn't raining or windy and the sun was about to set, our view of the water was unhindered by obstacles...well except a railing.

We were right on the water where the fishing boats came in from a hard day's work, and we had the most spectacular view for a sunset.

It took a little while for the waiter to get to us because of the large crowd, but as we waited, we took pictures of the view and pictures of each other. I was sitting closest to the water with Chris directly next to me and Tom directly across from me, but I took pictures with both of them and we did some with all 3 of us. A very nice older gentleman from a table near us asked if we would like for him to take a picture of the 3 of us and we graciously accepted the offer.

We climbed down onto the deck where the boats docked up, and I stood in the middle of both men. Our picture was taken at the perfect moment when the sky was full of beautiful colors from the sunset, and I knew I would be framing this picture the moment we got home to Boston.

When we got back to our table, we ordered our drinks and food, and Chris asked to pay for the older gentleman's bill since he had only been dining with his wife. The man tried to refuse, but we wouldn't let him. This had gotten some attention from some of the other people dining, and I knew they definitely recognized Chris and Tom since they kept looking over at us, but they stayed back and left us alone.

I was glad. I just hoped there weren't too many pictures of the 3 of us in any of the tabloids tomorrow, but I honestly didn't care anymore.

People were going to talk no matter what.

We had gotten jumbo shrimp cocktail as an appetizer which was so very delicious, and for my dinner I had gotten a seafood quesadilla that had shrimp and scallops in it that was to die for. Tom had gotten a seafood scampi dish and Chris had gotten a plate of broiled shrimp, scallops and flounder with rice and veggies on the side.

I was so glad seafood was agreeing with my stomach because there was no better place to get seafood than at the shore.

After our plates were taken away, the sky had gotten darker and the stars and moon were very clear on this beautiful night. The night sky was reflecting off the water so beautifully, and I was mesmerized by it.

After dinner, a few brave diners asked the guys for autographs, which they happily agreed to. It was only a few people and the outside dining area was really clearing out now since it was getting a little chilly with the ocean breeze picking up.

I watched the guys sign some pieces of paper and take a few pictures, and I shivered in my seat.

Chris noticed and literally stopped in the middle of taking a picture with someone. "Babe, here," he said before he took off his denim button up, showing off every muscle in his upper body now like they were on display.

The poor girl (probably around 18 or 19) he'd been taking a picture with blushed beet red and quickly took the picture with him all embarrassed. She was stumbling over her words nervously, and finally she looked over at me and just laughed at herself. "How do you deal with this all the time?" she asked, vaguely gesturing to Chris and his distracting body.

I threw my head back and laughed. "I'm still not really sure. I still blush and giggle like a school girl all the time. I mean look at him." We both looked at him and Chris actually blushed a little. "But then I remember that's all mine."

"You lucky bitch," the girl said with a laugh. "May I get a picture with you too, Evie?" she asked.

"Of course!" I said, feeling flattered. Her and I took a picture.

"Thanks," she said and then looked at Tom. "You're hot too, ya know. Don't want you to feel bad because we were talking about Chris and not you."

Tom laughed. "Thank you."

The girl left and we were left to eat our dessert in peace since the rest of the diners on the deck had all left now.

"Ya know what's awesome?" I said as I ate my piece of chocolate mousse cake.

"What?" they asked in sync.

I grinned. "That you're both all mine."

Tom and Chris shared a look. "Bit greedy, isn't she?" Tom joked.

"Yeah, but we love her anyway," Chris said.

I rolled my eyes at them and we finished our dessert.

When we got back to the house, we all took off our shoes and let Dodger out on the beach. The three of us followed him out there and walked around on the sand together.

Dodger was playing with a piece of driftwood he'd found, and I was holding hands with both Chris and Tom.

"I wish this summer would never end," I admitted to them.

"We still have 2 weeks left," Chris pointed out.

"But I agree, too," Tom said. "I just...I wish I never would have left. I missed 3 weeks spending time with you both because I was being stupid."

"Hey, remember we said it's in the past?" I said, pulling him close to me.

Chris let go of me to go chase Dodger and to give Tom and I a moment alone.

Tom pulled me against his body, his one hand moving to my stomach. I was only almost 12 weeks pregnant, but I definitely was already starting to get a tiny baby bump. "I know, but I'm still sorry. I hurt you. I know I did. Robert said..." He sighed. "Robert said he'd never seen someone so broken wear a mask of fake happiness as well as you. He said he knew no one else really picked up on it, but he did."

I turned toward the water, watching the waves crash. He placed a hand under my chin and turned my head back toward him so I would look him in the eye. "I don't want to keep rehashing this. I already forgive you-"

Tom interrupted me. "I can't forgive myself."

I cupped his face in my hands and sighed. "I hadn't been expecting you to be the one to get upset. I fully expected Chris to be the one who would flip out and leave. You both surprised me that day. And the biggest surprise of all...was that it took watching you walk away from me with half of my heart in your hands for me to realize how much I truly love you...how much I had loved you almost all along. I hadn't wanted to admit it to myself, but there it was plain as day."

He was looking at me so intently that I had to swallow past the emotion in my throat, but he didn't say anything so I continued. "As much as it shattered me to watch you go...you leaving was what made me realize that I DO love you. Yes, those 3 weeks were the hardest I've ever endured. I put on a brave face for Chris and for myself and everyone else, and it was eating me up inside to not have you here. But I forgive you. My love, I forgive you because you did come back."

Tom pulled me to him and kissed me with so much emotion that tears were running down both of our faces by the time it was over. "I'm also sorry for not being at the first ultrasound."

I shook my head and wiped the tears off his handsome face. "There will be other ultrasounds. Hell, you never know what the future will hold...there could be more babies down the road."

Chris was suddenly back at our sides. "With how much sex we have, of course there will be more children."

I laughed and wiped the tears off my face, swatting Chris on the chest. "You had to make it sound dirty?"

Chris waggled his eyebrows at me. "Of course. You know I like to play dirty. In fact...I think you like it when I'm dirty."

Tom and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

"You want to be dirty?" Tom asked, and then he kicked wet sand at Chris's pants. "There...now you're dirty."

I laughed as they started kicking sand at each other, and then shrieked as they turned on me together and chased me toward the edge of the water.

We were soaked and covered in sand by the time we got back to the house, but I'd never forget this beautiful night with them under the moon and stars with the waves crashing peacefully around us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welll....what did you think?
> 
> Please comment and let me know! <3


	49. Chapter 49:"Can't we just stay here forever?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris, Evie, and Tom continue spending time together at the beach and figuring out where their relationship will take them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all! It's been an INCREDIBLY crazy week. I hope you're all doing okay. I'm alright just...really overwhelmed. For those of you who may read my other story...I'm sorry! I know It's been two weeks since I updated but I am working on it! I just got thrown a lot of curve balls lately.
> 
> This fic is almost over and I'm so sad! I love these 3 and will be so sad to see them go...buttttttttt that means I can work on bringing you guys some other awesome stories!! <3 Enjoy!
> 
> ***
> 
> I also want to take another moment to thank a friend who helped me with the rest of the story from here on out! [Curiouserncuriouser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouserncuriouser/pseuds/curiouserncuriouser) Go check her stuff out because she is an AMAZING writer and such a great friend!!!

A week later, I was about 13 weeks pregnant and the baby was now the size of a lemon.

We'd been spending a lot of time on the beach and walking around the boardwalk.

My morning sickness was not getting any better, and I was definitely losing a few pounds, but Dr. Martz and Dr. Powell (my regular obgyn back home) were not terribly concerned because this typically happened when women had bad morning sickness. I was still eating fine and getting plenty of rest and fluids.

Today had been a particularly bad morning for me, so we were just hanging around the house and the pool.

The ocean was rough today which is why we'd decided to swim in the pool instead, but I still loved watching the ocean from the deck. It was so calming to watch the waves crashing in the distance.

Chris was currently swimming in the pool with Dodger, and Tom was reading a book in the chair next to me. It was one of those parenting books that doctors suggest you read if you're a first time parent. He was taking this very seriously. He'd told me that even if the baby wasn't his...if we were going to make this work, we were all in this together and he wanted to be prepared.

Since he'd had to tell his mom what was going on, we already knew she was being very accepting of our relationship, but now that I was getting further along in my pregnancy, we'd have to tell mine and Chris's families sooner rather than later...especially since we were going home next week.

"Can't we just stay here forever?" I asked, putting my own parenting book down. I couldn't even concentrate.

"Babe, we've been over this. We can't hide forever. And you have work in a few weeks. We have to go home," Chris said, swimming over to the edge of the pool closest to mine and Tom's chairs.

I sat up straight. "I just...I love it here. Well, specifically just the beach in general. And right now we're in this...perfect bubble, but I know once we go back that all will change and the perfect little bubble will pop."

"Come here," Chris said, beckoning me to the edge of the pool. I got up and sat down so my legs were dangling in the cool water. He eased his body between my knees and leaned his arms on my legs.

Tom sat next to us, putting his long legs in the water next to me.

Both of them put a hand on my bare stomach. They'd finally convinced me to wear a bikini...but I only wore it at the beach house. I knew I was losing weight, but I still wasn't very confident in how my body looked. However, I let them convince me because they said it made them happy to see my little baby bump.

"When we go home, we'll tell our families. If you want to go tell your mom in person...we can. Tom and I will both come. But no matter what happens, nothing matters. I don't care if my mom flips out and ex-communicates me." Tears came to my eyes at the thought. "No, babe. Listen to me. I don't care. All I care about is us...you...and this little-" He paused and looked at Tom. "What size fruit is our little blip this week?"

"I believe it's the size of a lemon," Tom said, wrapping his arms more firmly around my body to stop me from shaking and crying.

"Right," Chris said. "All I care about is us... Tom, me, you, Dodger, and this little lemon. Do you understand?" he asked me, looking up at me from the water. "Please stop worrying. Please let's just enjoy our last week here."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing there was no use in worrying about anything. No matter what happened, I knew I would have the two of them, Dodger, and our friends. I was hopeful our families would understand and support us...but only time would tell. I couldn't keep stressing over it now. "Okay," I said, wiping my face of the tears.

Tom let go of me and slid into the water. He held out his hands to me. "Come on, love. You're very warm. Come cool off for a bit."

He was right. I was sweating like crazy. Damn summer heat. Damn baby hormones. Damn nerves. I slid into the water into their waiting arms, and Dodger immediately swam over to the 3 of us. The guys led me over to the more shallow side of the pool, and I started to slowly swim around. I dipped my head under, and when I came up for air, Dodger was sitting on the steps and looking at me longingly. I swam over to him and sat next to him on the steps. He made a small whine and then leaned his head against my stomach.

Dodger had been becoming more and more close to me. Even before I knew I was pregnant, I think he knew all along. He would not leave my side, and he always put his head against my stomach. It made me smile. I knew him and this baby would be the very best of friends one day. I patted his head shifted so that his nose wouldn't keep going into the water.

Chris and Tom swam over to me, and I looked at them with a smile. "Dodger and our lemon baby are going to be the best of friends."

"Of course they will," Chris said. "So...when do we find out if we're having a boy or girl?" he asked excitedly.

I laughed. "Next week when we go home, I have an appointment set up with Dr. Powell. She's going to do a blood draw, and we can find out which of you is the father, and she said we can also find out the sex of the baby then too," I said.

I watched closely to see if either of them got upset by that, but the large smiles never left their faces.

"I can't wait," Tom said, coming closer to me. "You know...no matter what happens, we're in this together. Forever."

I smiled and leaned forward to kiss them both quickly. "So...I've been thinking," I said and both of them looked at me with serious faces suddenly. "Nothing bad. I just think...with this news...I feel like we should take some steps in our relationship. Maybe...move in together?" I held my breath, afraid of what they would say to that.

Chris and I had only been dating for almost 9ish months, and Tom had joined us only about 7ish months ago. Was it too soon?

Both of them grinned so big that my heart skipped a beat.

"We've been discussing that actually," Chris said, and then he started getting out of the pool. We all followed him over to the shower stall to get the chlorine off our bodies. He hosed down Dodger first. "I think this is a great step for us to take. We need a bigger place."

I bit my lip. "I know that but..." I sighed. "I love your house. It's on the perfect lot. It's got such a nice sized yard. I really-"

Chris laughed, interrupting my thoughts. "So...what if I told you that before we came to the beach, I was actually looking into putting an extension on the house? I love my house too, and the yard is perfect for Dodger and future kids and...maybe even future dogs. I have a big enough plot that we can extend for a second garage, extend a little off the back, and also extend to a second floor."

I gasped. "We can do that? Isn't that like...a lot of work and money?"

Chris shook his head. "I don't care. I know how much you love that house. Actually um...I wanted it to be a surprise, but they already started working on it when we left for the shore. It won't be completely done until the end of August. But I figured we could stay at Tom's apartment for the time being if that's okay?"

Tom nodded. "Of course. And once it's all done...we'll all move in together."

I sighed, a smile on my face as I felt so much love fill me up. "I love you both...so very much."

"Love you too," they both said, and then Dodger barked as if agreeing with us, making us all laugh.

I could get used to this kind of happiness.

"Speaking of future dogs...I kind of did something while I was home that I didn't tell either of you about yet," Tom said as we went back into the house. "I um...well, it wasn't really me. My mom adopted me a dog. She thought maybe she could break me out of the funk I was in." Tom grabbed his phone and showed us a picture of an adorable brown colored dog with long hair. "His name is Bobby. He's a Cocker Spaniel. My mom is going to take care of him for a little while until I can get him over here."

I smiled at the picture. "He's beautiful, Tom. This is so exciting! How long until we can get him?"

"He should get here in the beginning of September. He has to go through a bit of quarantine because he'll be coming from another country. Do you think Dodger and him will get along? Bobby's about 3 years old and neutered and up to date on all of his shots. I made sure."

Chris smiled. "Dodger loves other dogs. We'll work it out when the time comes." He patted Tom on the back and the two men smiled at each other.

***

It was now our last night here in paradise. I didn't want to leave. I absolutely loved the shore, and I hoped we would continue to make a tradition of this and keep coming back every year.

We had gone out to the boardwalk all day and went to eat, and then we spent a lot of time with Dodger on the beach in the evening and let him run to his heart's content.

Dodger was currently passed out in our bedroom, and the three of us were heading up to the roof to use the hot tub (on a much lower temperature...like bath water temperature since I’m pregnant), something I had been looking forward to using all day since my feet and back were already killing me from all the walking around.

I was almost 14 weeks now, and my little baby bump was definitely starting to come in. My clothes were still fitting pretty okay since I had lost some weight from the morning sickness, but I knew that soon the morning sickness would wear off and I'd start gaining some weight back and need new clothes.

The guys were already up there waiting for me, and I came out onto the roof from the glass door at the top of the steps with water bottles in one arm and towels on the other. When I came out, I smiled as I saw them already drinking a beer and sitting in the hot tub talking away to each other.

I was wearing another bikini that I had bought when neither of them were looking today. It was very...not something I would EVER wear...like EVER in front of anyone but them. It was black and the bottoms were...barely there. It barely covered my voluptuous ass, and it had strings on the sides with black beads hanging off the ends. The top was black too, and it also tied at my back and neck with thin strings with beads on the end. The triangles over my breasts were...well....tiny.

I smirked as I put down the towels and water bottles and the guys turned to me, their jaws dropping at my appearance. They both sat frozen in the water as I started to climb up the steps.

"Wait," Chris and Tom said, making me stop.

"What?" I asked.

Chris got out of the water and got his phone. "Babe, please. Please I'm begging you let me just take a picture...I swear not a soul besides Tom or I will see it. You look so fucking hot right now."

I rolled my eyes and blushed a little, feeling a little self-conscious. But... "Okay," I whispered, and then let him take a few pictures. Tom came to our side of the hot tub but stayed in the water. He leaned up to look at the pictures, and when I saw them I almost did a double take. I actually...I don't know what came over me, but I actually thought I looked good. And the baby bump...

I looked down and cupped my hand over my tiny bump, feeling tears come to my eyes. "I...I've never felt so beautiful," I whispered.

Tom sat on the edge of the tub and both of them put their hands over mine on my belly. "You've always been beautiful," Tom said.

"But this is different. This is..."

"I get it. You're seeing yourself in a new light," Chris said, putting his phone down and leading me into the hot tub. The three of us settled in, and the guys took sips of their beers while I sipped some water.

I sighed and closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the edge of the tub. Without even being asked, Chris came closer and grabbed my feet, put them in his lap and started to massage them. "How did you know?" I asked, sighing in relief.

"You could barely walk by the time we got home," he explained.

Tom shifted us around in the water and sat me on the edge of his lap so he could start massaging my back. I groaned. "There you go, darling," Tom murmured in my ear. I loved that they were spoiling me. It was like they were massage therapists or something it felt so good. Tom swept my hair off my right shoulder and attached his lips to the exposed skin, gently kissing and making me shiver in delight.

One thing we'd been finding out this week was that my sex drive was changing. As if I couldn't get enough sex BEFORE I was pregnant...now I was like a lunatic. I was horny almost constantly, and I'd been driven almost mad with how much I needed and wanted their bodies.

As if on cue, I felt my nipples harden as I felt both of their hands roaming over my skin. My breasts were at the surface of the water, and I watched Chris's eyes glance down and smile.

"Really, baby?" he asked, and I glared at him.

"Chris, I can't fucking help it," I whined.

"Thank GOD you have two of us," Tom said with a laugh as his hands quickly untied my top and threw it off. His hands ran down over my breasts, teasing my hyper-sensitive nipples and making me gasp. "Chris and I wouldn't be able to keep up with you if it was just one of us."

Chris grinned and moved closer to Tom and me, his hands sliding up my legs to the ties on the bottom of my suit. Within seconds, my bottoms were off and being thrown out of the hot tub just like my top had. Chris leaned in and kissed my lips as Tom kept playing with my nipples, and I felt Chris's hand slip between my legs and two long fingers entered me.

"Ohhh," I said, making Tom and Chris chuckle.

"Baby," Chris said. "You've been worked up all day, haven't you?" He kept pumping those two long fingers in and out of me, curling them so he'd be sure to hit my g-spot with every stroke. I felt his thumb brush against my clit, and I couldn't help the throaty moan that slipped from my mouth.

"Yes," I hissed as Tom pinched my nipples with his fingers and bit the side of my neck.

That's all it took for me to come to a screaming orgasm. Tom had put his hand over my mouth just in time to quiet the scream since the houses around us had been rented by other people now, and Chris took advantage of one of my breasts being freed up and attached his mouth to my nipple. His fingers kept slowly pumping inside of me while I continued to throb. When the orgasm finished, I collapsed against Tom's chest and panted.

"Wow, that was a long one," Chris said with a mischievous smile. He pulled his fingers out of me and I whimpered at the loss. I watched Chris look at Tom and felt Tom nod behind me. "I'm going to let Tom have a turn and then he's going to take you to our room, okay? I have something I have to do."

"But-"

Chris leaned in and kissed me quickly to stop me. "I'll only be a few minutes. I think Tom can get another one out of you before you come down, yeah?" I swatted at his chest, making him and Tom laugh as Chris got out of the hot tub and disappeared into the house.

Tom got out of the hot tub next and held his hand out for me. "Come here, love."

"But I'm naked. Can anyone see up here?"

He grinned at me. "No one can see up here, love, but we've gotta keep you quiet...just in case." He helped me out of the tub and laid a towel down on the ground before guiding me down on to it to lay on my back. I watched Tom get down and hover over my body, being careful of my stomach as he kissed my lips first before making his way down my body. He spent a lot of time teasing my nipples with his teeth, and only when I was a panting, writhing mess beneath him did he continue down between my thighs.

Tom gently kissed my slick folds before pushing my legs up, his hands pushing against my ass as his thumbs teased my folds. He opened me up wide for him with his thumbs and I heard him suck in a breath. "Evie, darling. You're so wet," he whispered as he lowered his mouth to me again, licking me from entrance to clit and back. His tongue thrusted into me and I bit my hand to keep from screaming loudly. He continued to eat me out until I was writhing on the ground.

"Please," I begged him. "Baby, please."

He sucked on my clit as he slid three fingers into me. "Please what, darling?" he asked as he looked up at me.

I panted and gripped his hair with my hands. "I need your cock inside me right now!"

His eyebrow raised as a smirk crossed his face. "Love, let me finish you like thi-"

I cut him off. "No!" I pushed him away and got up off the ground. He stood up quickly and I grabbed the towel off the floor and set it on the lounge chair. "Get on it."

Tom chuckled but listened to me, taking his suit off before laying himself on the chair. I spread my legs wide on either side of the chair and immediately thrust down onto Tom, making both of us throw our heads back. "Evie, damnit," he groaned, his hands going to my hips to help me fuck him.

Chris came back out then and nearly rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. "Tom, dude, you weren't supposed to fuck her. I have plans."

"He can hold off," I gasped out. "I just needed him."

I reached down and touched my clit as Tom thrust a finger into my ass and that's all I needed before the orgasm slammed into me. Chris reached me just in time to cover my mouth with his hand as I screamed. It got muffled by his hand, thankfully, and I felt my eyes roll back a little from the intense pleasure I was feeling as my body clenched around Tom.

When I was finished, Tom was panting and sweating beneath me. "Fuck," he hissed as I pulled off of him. He shut his eyes tight for a minute and squeezed the tip of his cock and took a few deep breaths.

"Feel better, baby?" Chris cooed into my ear, making me shiver. I leaned back against Chris's body and I hummed in response, making him chuckle.

"I'm good," Tom said in a strained voice. He got up and gathered our bathing suits in his hands before the three of us made our way into the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wellllll what did you guys think of that?
> 
> Hot right?
> 
> Comments please!!
> 
> AND MORE SEX WILL BE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!!


	50. Chapter 50: "Did we finally wear you out?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Tom set up a night for Evie that she won't forget for quite a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. This is literally all smut and I'm not even the slightest bit sorry at all!
> 
> Okay thanks byeeeeeee. ENJOY THE SEX!
> 
> ***
> 
> I also want to take another moment to thank a friend who helped me with the rest of the story from here on out! [Curiouserncuriouser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouserncuriouser/pseuds/curiouserncuriouser) Go check her stuff out because she is an AMAZING writer and such a great friend!!!

Chris locked up the doors and we made our way to the bedroom we'd be sharing since we got here. I noticed a glow coming from the room and gasped as I saw that Chris had placed several candles around the room. I smiled as I turned to look at my two men who were smiling at me.

"You two planned this?"

"Yeah, but Chris was in charge with set-up," Tom said, squeezing the other man's shoulders. "We just wanted to make this last night special for you."

I smiled at them. "My loves, you make every night special for me." I walked toward them and kissed Chris's lips and then Tom's. When I stepped closer to the bed, I noticed there were some items resting on the foot of the bed. "What's this?"

"Baby, do you trust us?" Chris asked.

"You know I do," I whispered, eyes furrowed in confusion as he picked up a tie.

"Let me tie your arms behind your back?" Chris asked. He was asking for permission. I felt my pulse quicken immediately and nodded in response. I wasn't crazy about being tied up but...I couldn't deny how excited it made me feel. Chris handed the tie to Tom who pulled my arms behind me to tie them behind my back, his lips gently kissing the skin of my shoulders.

"Still trust us, darling?" Tom whispered into my ear as Chris pulled another piece of cloth off the bed.

"What's that for?" I asked, licking my lips a little nervously.

"I know you've said in the past you weren't crazy about blindfolds but well...we thought maybe you'd consider trying it for us? You can say no. Or you can color out if you don't like it," Chris explained, stumbling over his words.

I bit my lip. "Honestly? I've...been blindfolded before but the guy I was with made me feel so uncomfortable. That's why I said I didn't like it. I'm not sure if it was really him or the blindfold or..." I shrugged.

"Are you willing to try?" Tom asked, gently caressing his hands over the front of my body.

I shuddered in response, feeling my nipples harden as he grazed the sides of my breasts. "I-I'll try it. But please...show me the other things first before you blindfold me." I knew there were still a few items on the bed that Chris hadn't shown me yet.

Chris nodded. "Nipple clamps." He raised an eyebrow in question and I swallowed hard before nodding at him. He attached them to my nipples and I hissed. "Color?"

"Green," I gasped out as he tugged experimentally on the chain hanging between my breasts.

Tom's hands smoothed over my hips and baby bump before he reached up and tugged on the chain once Chris let go of it. I moaned and leaned back against Tom's body, my head falling back onto his shoulder. He leaned down and kissed me where my neck met my shoulder and smiled as I shuddered under his touch. Damn him! He knew exactly what kissing that spot did to me. "Chris, why don't you show her what else we've picked out for her?"

Chris sent me a wicked grin before he went back to the bed. Behind me, Tom pressed his body tight against mine, his cock thrusting against my ass and sliding between my cheeks. My eyes fluttered shut but then opened wide as Tom yanked the chain between my breasts. Chris was in front of me again, this time with a device in his hand. It was pink and just a bit bigger than an egg and it had an antenna running out of the end of it.

"Is that...?" I blushed bright red. How had they known I had been researching that vibrator? It's called a Lovense and it connects to an app on your phone that controls the vibrations. AND...it was small enough that your partner could still fuck you while it was inside of you...

Chris chuckled. "When you're researching sex toys, you should probably not leave the page up on your unlocked phone while you use the bathroom."

I blushed all the way from the top of my head down to my chest. "I...um..."

Tom bit my earlobe. "You want to try it?" I gasped and started stuttering incoherently. "Darling, you have to use your words. What's your color right now?" he asked as he tugged on the chain. I choked on air, feeling so turned on that I thought I was going to lose my mind. I was so wet I could feel myself dripping down my thighs.

"G-green," I choked out. "Please!"

Chris's eyes darkened as he stepped closer to me. "Spread your legs, baby," he muttered, leaning down to kiss my lips. I spread my legs a little and Chris reached down. "Are you ready, baby?" he asked. All I could do was whimpered in return. Chris groaned as his fingers brushed my soaked folds. "Oh, yeah you are," he said, his voice going deep and sexy. I gasped as he inserted the small vibrator into me and then backed off. I watched him grab his phone off the bedside table and he unlocked it, his eyes glancing at me as he tapped a few buttons and the vibrator came to life.

"Oh, god!" I cried out, tightening my legs together. Chris smirked and nodded at Tom who jerked the chain between my breasts. I was orgasming in seconds before I even knew what the fuck was happening to me.

"Chris, I think you may have that setting too high if that's all it took," Tom said with a chuckle as he grazed the skin of my neck with his beard.

"You're right, Tom," Chris said and then hit something on his phone to calm the vibrations a little. "I'm going to put the blindfold on you now. Are we still green, Evie?" I nodded at him, my eyes fluttering shut.

Tom back away from me just enough to smack my ass with his hand. "Evie, you need to answer us verbally, love. You know that."

"Green," I whispered, my heart racing as Chris came toward me with the blindfold and gently wrapped it around my head, making sure it wasn't too tight as he tied it.

"Baby, you can tap out whenever. The second you say 'red' it will come off," Chris said, his voice sounding tender and sweet.

"Okay. Just...give me a second." I took a few deep breaths, feeling both of them press against me. After a few moments, I nodded at them. "Okay. I'm green still. I...I trust both of you. You make me feel safe," I admitted quietly.

Chris's lips pressed against mine and Tom kissed my shoulder gently again. "Good," they both said in sync and then ushered me toward the bed. The two of them worked together to get me into position on the bed. I was on my knees, my lower legs tucked beneath me as I sat on my heels. I was listening for any noise that I could but neither of them were giving away what they were doing.

The vibrator suddenly came to life inside of me, the pleasure catching me so off guard that I almost fell forward. Strong hands held me up, hands that I knew belonged to Chris who had jumped on to the bed behind me. "Easy," he murmured, his hands helping me sit higher up. He eased my legs open and rubbed his hard cock against my ass. I gasped as the tip of his lubed up cock started pressing into my tight back entrance.

"Evie, holy shit," Chris panted in my ear as he slowly thrust all the way in and stilled his hips. "That vibrator feels amazing."

I whimpered and Chris grazed his teeth against the pulse in my neck. "Please," I begged, but for what I'm not even sure.

I felt the bed move again and knew Tom was kneeling in front of me. Tom kissed my lips, his hands gently tugging on the chain between my breasts and tugging on my nipples until I had to pull out of the kiss to cry out. Chris was gripping my hips with his hands, and I felt his heart pounding against my back as Tom took his cock and slowly began to work himself into me. I was trying to stay still but my body was on fire with so much sensation and pleasure that I writhed between them.

"Evie, keep still," Chris gasped into my ear, grabbing my elbows that were still tied behind my back as Tom gripped my hips.

"Darling, still green?" Tom asked once he was fully inside of me. The vibrator was pressed tight inside of me with both of them in me. I was so full that it almost hurt...ALMOST...but not quite...

"Green," I choked out. "Green. Oh god, still green. Please! Move!" I begged them, feeling so close to orgasm that I thought I was going to lose my mind.

"Tom," Chris said. "Just. Hang on a second." Chris reached around me, his hand going between mine and Tom's bodies and going straight to my clit. I felt the edge of his nail brush against it and I went off like a fucking 4th of July fireworks display. Both of them held me still while my body jerked between them and both of them groaned loudly.

"Christ," Tom panted. "Why did you do that?"

"She was ready," Chris gasped out. "And now you'll be able to fuck her a little easier."

"I'm not going to last long," Tom moaned out as my body stopped clenching around him.

"Then don't hold back!" I yelled out as they both started fucking me hard and fast.

Both of them worked opposite of each other, Chris pulling out as Tom thrust in and vice versa. The vibrator kept going and going inside of me and they took turns tugging on the chain hanging between my breasts.

This was absolutely insane. I had no idea that pleasure could ever be this intense. I have no clue what led these two to decide to do this...but I was silently thanking all that was holy that they'd done it. Tom kissed me hard and Chris bit my shoulder from behind as I felt the rhythm in Tom's hips falter a little bit.

"I can't," Tom cried out and then he thrust into me powerfully one last time as he spurted deep inside of me. I was thrown into another orgasm then and Tom pulled out of me and grabbed the vibrator, pulling it from me as fluid gushed from my body, soaking the blankets beneath us. I could feel Chris almost throbbing inside of me and knew he was so close. He waited until I stopped screaming before he started fucking me hard and moments later, he was yelling out his own orgasm.

Everything stopped. It was one of those moments where you feel immobilized and like wind was rushing through your ears. Like a bomb had just went off and you were numb. Someone took the blindfold off of me and then my hands were unbound. Chris pulled out of me and both of them gently help me lay on the bed.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked, moving my sweaty hair out of my face.

"Mmmm," was all I could manage to say.

Both men chuckled as I curled up on the bed on my side. My eyes were still shut and I listened to them both move around the room for a little bit until there was nothing.

***

"Evie, baby, wake up. You've been asleep for an hour and you need to eat and shower before we go to bed," Chris whispered, waking me up.

I groaned and then slowly sat up as I rubbed my eyes. Chris handed me my glasses and kissed my forehead. Tom came back into the room looking like he had just showered, a pair of sweats hanging low on his hips. He'd put his glasses on too and he smiled at me, making my heart flutter. Would I ever not react this way to both of them?

Chris chuckled as if he could read my thoughts and helped me stand up from the bed. "Go shower. Food will be here when you're done, babe."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him, noticing that he smelled faintly of soap. I'm guessing he had gotten out of the shower not long before Tom and then I noticed his hair was still damp. He was wearing a pair of gym shorts and no shirt. God they were both so beautiful. Chris gently patted my butt as I kissed him and then moved to kiss Tom before going to the bathroom to shower.

When my shower was over, I toweled off and walked out to the smell of food. Chris and Tom were both sitting on our bed with Dodger laying between them and a tray of food was on the nightstand. I smiled at them as I walked to our dresser and put on a pair of boy shorts and a thin camisole. I knew better than to wear a lot of clothes to bed. I got hot so easily because of the hormones that I usually wound up taking my clothes off during the night anyway. I sat down and Chris handed me a plate that had grilled cheese on it with bacon on it too. I sighed happily as I bit into the sandwich, thankful that bacon didn't seem to bother me like some other meat did.

When I was done eating the sandwich, I moved on to the chips that he had set aside for me and drank the water. But I noticed that both of them were being oddly quiet...

"What's up, you two?" I asked as I munched on the chips. 

"We didn't push your limits before did we?" Chris asked.

I shook my head. "I promise that I would have told you. That was um..." I cleared my throat and felt my face blush.

"Did we finally wear you out?" Tom asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I laughed. "I think so. I should be good until morning." Both of them gave me incredulous looks before the three of us burst into laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...I had the shittiest day and would LOVE to hear what you guys all thought about this one! I personally loved it.
> 
> SO COMMENTS?? PLEASEEEEEE?
> 
> We're almost at the end of this! 1 more chapter and an epilogue to go. I will be so sad to see this one end, but I've so enjoyed the ride and hope all of you have too.


	51. Chapter 51: "How did you two do this?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Real talks about their relationship and how to move forward in their lives happen. Evie is floored when they approach a topic with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well......this one has some feels! (BUT I PROMISE IT'S GOOD FEELS!)
> 
> ***
> 
> I also want to take another moment to thank a friend who helped me with the rest of the story from here on out! [Curiouserncuriouser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouserncuriouser/pseuds/curiouserncuriouser) Go check her stuff out because she is an AMAZING writer and such a great friend!!!

When we calmed down and I was done eating, Chris took everything downstairs, leaving my water for me. Dodger followed him, allowing me to sit next to Tom. The cool night air was blowing through our balcony doors and I could smell the saltwater on the air. I was SO going to miss this place.

"We'll come back," Tom said, sensing my sudden sadness. "Maybe one day we'll get a place at the shore. Doesn't have to be here. Can be anywhere we want. Somewhere we can stay for the entire summer and raise children to be around the ocean." He wrapped his arm around me then and pulled me against him, his other hand moving to my stomach.

I couldn't help but smile at that. "We can do that?"

"Do what?" Chris asked as he came back into the room. Dodger wasn't with him so I'm guessing he was eating or drinking some water. I knew he'd join us eventually.

"I told her that we can come back whenever...maybe even one day buy a house on the shore," Tom explained.

Chris laid on his stomach, holding himself up on his elbows as he looked at us. "About that..." Tom and I both froze. "I um...tomorrow before we leave I'm signing the papers for this place. It's ours."

"Chris," I started, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"Evie," Tom warned in my ear, squeezing my arm a little.

I pulled away from Tom and shook my head. "I'm not going to fight."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to fight him on how much this must have cost him?"

I rolled my eyes. "Jeez. You guys act like I'm so stubborn or something," I muttered and then laughed at the looks on their faces. "Okay, FINE, but really I'm not going to fight." I met Chris's eyes. "Are you sure?"

Chris smiled and sat up. "I'm sure. I started the process before we knew about the baby. I sold my place in L.A. and that got me a lot of money, remember?"

"Yeah but then the renovations on the house-"

"Sweetheart, Tom and I both are paying for that," Chris explained, cupping my face gently and rubbing my tears away with his thumbs. "We discussed it last week. He's selling his place in London and his place in New York."

I turned to Tom. "Your place in London? What about if we go visit your family?"

"My family home is big enough for us. Trust me, mum would want us to stay there...especially when the baby is here."

I looked back and forth between both of them. "Are you both really sure? I...once my lease is up with Max, I can contribute toward expenses as best as I can." Yeah, right...like these two will ever let me pay for anything...

"We'll discuss it when the time comes, but it's not necessary," Chris said.

"Please," I whispered. "I just...I don't want to feel like I'm not contributing toward our...family."

"Love, we'll figure something out. Let's not think about it right now," Tom said. "We have something else we want to discuss."

I blinked, trying to gauge their expressions and body language but they weren't giving me anything. "What is it?"

"We just..." Chris sighed. "We want to discuss marriage."

I blinked in shock. "Is that a marriage proposal? If so, that was lame," I joked trying to lighten the mood.

"Sweetheart, we just want you to know that if you do want to get married...we're okay with that. Chris would be the obvious choice since you're both linked all over the internet and everything," Tom said.

I pulled away from them both and got off the bed. "Guys, wait. Hang on." Both of them looked panicked like I was going to bolt from the room. "No. I'm not running. Let me finish." I took a deep breath. "I love you both. I want to be with both of you. I um...I've been doing some research. Did you know there is one state where domestic partnerships between polyamorous couples are recognized? That's a big deal. That means you don't have to be married for health insurance, life insurance, etc."

"You've done research on this?" Tom asked, sitting at the edge of the bed to grab my hand.

I nodded and pulled his hand up to kiss it. "I have. Ever since you came back. Obviously, legally I can't marry you both...but this is the next best thing, in my eyes."

"What state?" Chris asked.

"Massachusetts," I answered with a smile. "It started off with one city doing it, the rest of the state quickly followed. If we're going to do this...I want to do this right. I want this to work."

Tom swallowed hard, his eyes red and rimmed with tears before he looked back and shared a look with Chris. "Show her."

"Show me what?" I asked, feeling confused as Chris stood from the bed and went to the nightstand. He took out two small boxes and threw one to Tom. The two of them sat at the edge of the bed and, in unison, opened the boxes together.

I gasped as I caught sight of what the boxes held inside them.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/189029007@N05/50372363281/in/dateposted-public/)

(Link to Evie's ring: [Evie's Ring](https://www.etsy.com/listing/685847028/opal-ringwhite-fire-opal-engagement-ring?ref=user_profile&frs=1) Obviously this isn't expensive but use your imagination for how much you think they spent on her lol. I just loved this one a lot!)

"How..." I took a shaky breath as I felt tears immediately start falling down my face. "How did you two do this?" I gasped out.

Chris and Tom both grinned at me. "When Tom came back, him and I had a long talk while you were sleeping one night and we started doing some shopping around. We actually even left the bed but you were sound asleep and Dodger cuddled you so you didn't even notice," Chris said.

And speaking of Dodger...

Dodger came into the room at that moment and sat next to me, hitting my hand with his head. I pet him for a moment before walking toward my men. "You guys really picked out rings together?" They nodded and I took both boxes from the to study the rings. There were 3 rings all together that seemed like they combined into one set I could wear together. In one box was the largest of the three rings that had one oval shaped opal stone on a rose gold band by itself. The other box held two smaller rings that had smaller stones and would surround the larger opal perfectly. The smaller stones were also little opals and the bands were the same rose gold. All along each band were also tiny diamonds. It was seriously the most gorgeous set I've ever seen...and one that I probably would have never picked out myself. How had they known?!

I took the rings out and put the larger one in the middle before sliding all three on my left ring finger, feeling more tears start to fall. "It's beautiful. It's the most beautiful ring set I've ever seen! And it fits perfectly! How did you know?"

Tom and Chris stood up then and surrounded me with their arms. "We found it and just knew," Tom said. "It looks beautiful on you."

"I love that it's three rings," I said, going to tiptoe so I could kiss both of them one by one.

"Three rings for three of us," Chris said. "We may not be actually getting married but...I like everything that a ring on the left finger symbolizes."

I pulled away from them then and grabbed both of their left hands with mine. "Would you two um...be willing to wear rings?"

"There's nothing I'd love more," Tom said.

"I was hoping to," Chris replied with a chuckle.

I yawned loudly then and the three of us got ready for bed quickly. I snuggled into the middle of the bed and had Tom at my back tonight and Chris in front of me. We'd started switching who would get to spoon me which I really loved. Dodger settled in at our feet and I smiled as Chris gently took the rings off my finger and put them back in one of the boxes.

Tomorrow, we'd be leaving here and going back to reality. I had been dreading it but...after this? I knew that no matter what, everything would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it...and then the next chapter is the epilogue!!! ONE MORE TO GO!
> 
> I can't believe how far I've come with this. I'm SO sad the next chapter is the last one. I hope you guys enjoyed this one!
> 
> Please leave me some comments! THEY GIVE ME LIFEEEE!


	52. Chapter 52: Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once the baby is born, Max and Seb go to Evie's, Tom's and Chris's for a visit and get a little glimpse into the crazy mom-life Evie is experiencing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this a little early for you all since it's been done for weeks...I REALLY hope that you enjoy this little epilogue! It's short, but sweet, and I wouldn't change how it turned out for the world!
> 
> This has been such a journey with this story and all of you, and I thank each and every one of you for being on the long and wild ride with me! You've been such loyal readers! I really hope you love this!!
> 
> ***
> 
> And a final thanks to [Curiouserncuriouser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouserncuriouser/pseuds/curiouserncuriouser) who has become such a great friend during all this! She helped me out a lot with a lot of my writing and is just such a true friend! Go read her stuff! You won't regret it!! <3 <3

Max was smilingly softly at me as she watched me flop down onto the couch as Dodger and Bobby whined and climbed onto the couch next to me. Seb was downstairs in my bedroom with Tom, Chris, and Eli, and since I was done breastfeeding for now, I was in desperate need of a little break.

"You alright?" Max asked as she watched my pet my two dogs, each of them laying their heads on my legs.

"I'm exhausted," I said, feeling tears stupidly come to my eyes. "I'm hungry. I'm tired. I'm cranky. I haven't slept properly in weeks. My boobs hurt and I just want to chop them off, honestly. I've been spit up on twice today and it's only noon, and he peed all over me this morning at 4 AM," I whined. "I am surrounded by boys!"

Max laughed and went to the kitchen for a moment before coming back with a big water bottle and a sub-sandwich for me. "Seb and I stopped and brought some lunch for you guys. We brought dinner too."

I pushed away from the dogs and started eating my sandwich over the coffee table. "What's for dinner?"

"A big container of baked ziti," she answered, smiling at the groan that escaped my mouth.

"This is why you're my best friend. You feed me and love me," I said.

"Hey, I take offense to that," Chris said as all the guys came up the stairs. Tom was holding Eli in his arms, and he sat in the armchair, smiling down at the tiny baby boy. "Tom and I feed you AND we love you."

"Yeah," Tom said softly. "He's right."

I rolled my eyes at them. "You _have_ to say that. I just popped our child out of my vagina 1 month ago so now you're both stuck with me for life."

Seb winced. "Listen, I really don't want to think of a baby popping out of your vagina, Evie."

I raised my eyebrows at him as I finished my sandwich. "Seb? You see that tiny person in Tom's arms?" I paused for dramatic effect. "He popped out of my vagina 4 weeks ago. Get the fuck over it, weirdo."

Seb pretended to gag and Max smacked him. "What are you going to do if I end up pregnant?" Max teased him.

Seb made a face. "Don't jinx it. We're not ready for all that. I mean look at these three...they haven't slept since they came home with Eli."

"That's not true," I snapped, pointing my water bottle at Chris and Tom. "Those two sleep just fine while Eli wails and screams in the middle of the night and I'm the one who has to get up and breastfeed him. You see...those two are lacking the parts needed to feed a child." I stuck my tongue out at Seb and flipped him off.

"Someone needs a nap," Tom said under his breath. "And it's not the baby."

"I heard that," I nearly growled out.

"Babe, calm down. You've got some milk pumped for tonight," Chris said. "Tom and I can help with feeding Eli."

I sighed and nodded. "No, I know. I'm sorry. I'm just-"

"Tired," Max said. "We know." She looked over at Tom then. "Can I hold my godson?"

Tom smiled softly at her and stood up to walk over to her. He gently placed the small newborn in Max's arms as she leaned further back into her seat to hold the baby and smile down at him. Tom and Chris moved Dodger and Bobby off of the couch so they could sit on either side of me, and I melted as they both wrapped an arm around me.

"Isn't he perfect?" I whispered to Max.

I watched her smile widely down at the little boy with dark brown hair. Since he was sleeping she couldn't see them, but we all knew he had beautiful blue eyes. "I've never seen a more perfect face," she said.

Seb watched her hold the baby and leaned down to kiss the top of her head softly. "He is really cute. Looks just like his father."

"No way. He looks just like his mother," Max said. "A near mirror image of her."

"Except the eyes," Chris, Tom, and I all said together and then chuckled.

"Right. Except his eyes. He's got his father's blue eyes," Max said with a soft smile as she gently ran her thumb over Eli's chubby little cheek.

Seb and Max wound up staying for a few more hours and had dinner with us, but once they left, I was ready to fall asleep standing up.

"Sweetheart," Tom said, steadying me so I wouldn't fall as I tried to wash the dishes. "Just leave them for tomorrow. Let's get you showered and in bed."

"Okay," I said through a yawn, not even arguing.

We all made our way downstairs and Chris placed Eli into the small bassinet next to our bed. We had a nursery upstairs, but right now it was easier to have him in our room with us since I was still feeding him in the middle of the night. Easier this way than to try and go up two flights of stairs in the middle of the night just yet.

I showered very quickly and then put on a loose tank top and a pair of cotton shorts for bed. Tank tops were easier to breastfeed Eli in and I didn't have to fuss much with trying to get around clothing. Tom and Chris were already in our giant bed with Dodger and Bobby laying at the foot of the bed near their feet. Chris was holding Eli again who was softly fussing, but not full out crying thank god. The dogs loved Eli so very much, but they got upset when he wailed too loudly.

"I changed him but I think he's hungry," Chris said as he tried to shush the newborn in his arms.

I smiled as I crawled toward the middle of my men and sat with my back against the headboard like they both were. I took Eli from Chris and settled him into my arms before adjusting my shirt so I could get a breast out to feed him. Eli latched and immediately his fussing quieted. He was making soft noises as he drank, his little hand escaping the burrito blanket he was rolled into...as it always did. He waved his hand around until Tom put his finger in the tiny hand to make him stop moving so much. Chris grabbed onto the little foot that escaped the blanket, both men moving closer to me so they could heard the soft sounds Eli was making a little better.

"You two are shit at this baby burrito thing," I teased.

"He moves a lot," Chris said with a laugh.

"He's an escape artist," Tom said, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

We were silent for a few minutes until Chris spoke up again. "He's perfect," he said.

"Yeah," I agreed, brushing his small tutfs of dark hair back with my hands. "He really is."

"He almost peed on my face today," Tom suddenly said.

"You gotta be careful," I warned. "He can and WILL do it. He already got Chris and I. You've got to cover him with the new diaper as you clean him...just in case. And best not to have your mouth open while you do it."

"Oh, is that the trick?" Tom asked with a smile as he kissed the baby's head gently. "I'll remember that."

When Eli was finished eating, Tom was the one who took him from me, changed him one more time, and then settled him into his little bassinet. By the time Tom shut the lights off, I was already curled into the front of Chris's body so he was spooning the back of me, feeling like sleep was going to take me under quite fast.

"Maybe we'll have a girl next time and I won't be so outnumbered," I mumbled. "Or we can get a third dog and make it a girl."

Chris laughed in my ear. "Hey, crazy...how about we settle in with one newborn before we think about adding more kids and more pets? We've got enough on our plate."

"Party pooper," I whispered, making Tom and Chris laugh. "You know what?"

"What?" Tom and Chris asked.

Tom settled himself into bed in front of me, pushing the back of his body against my front. "I know the past few weeks have been rough but...if I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing."

"Agreed," Tom replied.

"Absolutely wouldn't change anything," Chris said.

I sighed as I settled in between the two men I love. "This is the best part," I mumbled almost incoherently as I fell asleep surrounded by the men I loved, our dogs, and knowing our baby was asleep only feet away from us.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END...
> 
> I can't believe it's over. I'm actually really emotional and crying my eyes out right now (err it's also that time of the month so let's put some blame on THAT) but just... 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 I can't. I really can't. I love this story so much and I will miss them!
> 
> Also...I know I was vague about WHO the father was...but really...what does it matter? The three of them are happy. Nothing else matters <3 <3
> 
> PLEASEEEE leave me some comments about what you thought! You guys know how much I appreciate it!
> 
> There will be more coming from me soon so stay tuned and subscribe to my profile to be notified of more stories! Love you guys. Stay safe out there <3

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave me some comments and let me know how I'm doing! :-)


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